Darkest Knight
by TheFlyingPriest
Summary: Finn The Human, along with his best friend Jake, have been protecting Ooo from evil for as long as they can remember. However, when an ancient evil arises and threatens to bring death to the land on a massive scale, our heroes find themselves in the fight of their lives. Old feelings are rekindled and shocking revelations with dire consequences are brought to light amidst the chaos
1. Chapter 1

Finn awoke to another beautiful morning. As his bleary eyes adjusted to the rays of sunshine that were filtering in through his window, he laid in bed and listened to the various sounds that usually came with the start of a brand new day. He listened to the morning songs of the birds that nested within the branches of the tree house and he could hear the faint rustling of leaves indicating what seemed to be a particularly windy morning. The smell of this morning's breakfast began to waft in from the kitchen below.

_Hmm__, it smells like eggs and pancakes, I guess Jake must be at it already_.

Kicking off the fur skins that he used as bed sheets, Finn got up and slowly made his way to the bathroom to begin the day.

_Man I sure hope we still have some of that special pancake syrup from the Breakfast Kingdom. That stuff was from Breakfast Princess' personal stash_.

As he walked into the bathroom he realized just how tired and sore he really was. Taking down that mountain troll the day before had been no easy task. Princess Bubblegum had called them and asked to see if they could investigate reports of a large beast that was stripping the Cotton Candy Forest of it's foliage. Once they arrived they realized they were in for one heck of a fight. The towering giant had two ugly heads, and four massive arms as well. They had to dodge rocks, fists and even whole trees as they fought the troll but the dynamic duo were able to cut off its arms one by one and put an end to the fight by driving it away. It had been a bloody and messy battle and when Finn got home he skipped his shower and went straight to bed, exhausted. Now he woke up smelling like troll blood, sweaty armpits and, oddly enough, cotton candy. It wasn't until he saw himself in the bathroom mirror that he realized just how roughed up he looked. His blond, shoulder-length hair was hardly recognizable beneath the current layer of dirt and grime. Blue, piercing eyes looked back at him from his reflection, with the addition of a newly formed black eye on the right side of his face. He would have used some of the cyclops' tears to heal his eye but they had run dry a couple weeks ago. Until he made another run, he would just have to deal with a little pain for a while. He sighed as he made his way to the shower and hoped that Jake hadn't used up all the hot water. He turned the dial and was relieved when he felt the hot water begin to flow over his aching body. Getting thrown around by that troll had left him with plenty of cuts and bruises, quickly making themselves known as his body began to loosen up.

At the age of 18, his body was beginning the transition from a boy to that of a young man. His muscles had become more developed over the years due to his active lifestyle and he had grown slightly taller. Not to mention that his is craving for adventures grew almost as much as his ravenous appetite. Finn finished showering, brushed his teeth and made his way back to his room to change for breakfast. He put on his blue shirt and shorts and threw his dirty clothes in the "dirty" pile. "Hey Finn! If you're hungry then you better come down now before Beemo decides to eat everything!" Jake hollered from below. "Yeah Finn!" added the little MO.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming down!" Finn climbed down the ladder and saw Beemo already sitting at the table and Jake serving it a plate of eggs with pancakes.

_Ha! I was right_!

"Morning, Jake." Finn inhaled the tantalizing scents through his nose, making his mouth water.

"Hey bro, are you alright? Looks like you got quite the shiner there." Jake asked.

"Yeah dude I'm fine. I'm still a little sore from yesterday but other than that I'm great."

Jake watched as Finn grabbed a plate and began to load it up with food. "Yeah and apparently really hungry. What are you looking for?" Jake asked, when he noticed Finn looking around desperately for something.

"Where's the special syrup that Breakfast Princess gave us?" Finn asked, questioningly.

"Oh, we ran out of it last week." Jake responded, with a mouth full of food. Finn looked down at his pancakes with disappointment. "Don't worry dude, we can always just save her again and get another batch." Jake reassured him.

"Yeah but I was really craving it this morning and it would have gone perfectly with these pancakes. Oh well, might as well dig in.", and with that Finn proceeded to ravage his plate. Having eaten their fill, Finn and Jake went over to sit on their comfy couch in the living room.

"So what do you want to do today Jake?" Finn asked as he rubbed his full stomach.

Jake stretched his stomach into a slightly larger size and started to rub his belly as he answered, "I was actually planning on visiting Lady for a couple days. PB told me last week that there is going to be a meteor shower tonight, except that instead of meteors, it is going to be food." Finn just looked at him like he was crazy. "Look dude I don't know how all that science mumbo jumbo works so I just leave all that stuff to PB." Jake said when he noticed the look Finn was giving him. "Anyway, its supposed to be pretty romantic, so I'm planning a picnic and a serenade for my woman." Jake said as he bobbed his eyebrows.

_And who knows what else might happen later that night_.

Just the thought was enough to bring a sly smile to his face. Finn knew what Jake was thinking about just by looking at him. "Well I wouldn't be surprised if I end up being an uncle again." Jake just huffed and got up to commence cleaning up the table.

As he began to wash the dishes he turned and gave Finn a look, expecting something. Finn got up and grabbed a towel to start drying off the washed dishes and started to place them away. "Come on Finn, you know that you gotta respect a man's P-biz and what Lady and I do on our personal time is our business. Besides, I thought you loved being uncle Finn." Finn thought back on the day he first saw Jake's pups. They were so small and cute and he remembered how proud Jake was. However, since rainicorns age rapidly, they quickly grew up and started lives of their own.

"Of course I do Jake but they just grew up so fast that I didn't even have time to be an uncle. They're all adults now and are way more mature than I am so it kinda feels weird when I really start think about it." Finn replied.

"Aw Finn you will always be their uncle, no matter how old they get." Jake said as he gave him a wet hug.

"Finn, if it makes you feel any better, you can be the uncle of my baby whenever I have one." Beemo said, trying to lift Finn's spirits.

Finn just chuckled, "Ok then Beemo, that sounds like a deal."

Beemo's face lit up with a digitized smile, "Yay for uncle Finn! Hmm, now all I have to do is get pregnant…" Beemo said as he pretended to rub the chin he didn't have. He jumped down from his chair at the table and started walking away. "See you later guys. I have to go ask Football for some advice." Finn figured that he was going to the bathroom to talk to himself in the mirror again.

_That little guy sure is weird_.

"So you got any plans for today bro?" Jake asked as he handed the last plate to Finn. "Got a date with anybody tonight, maybe with a cute princess? Or are you going to smooch with Marceline again?" Jake said as stretched himself close to Finn and made a smooching face, causing Finn to blush. "Jeez, come on Jake! We only did that because it was a dare, **_your_** dare to be exact, and besides, Marcy and I are just friends for now."

"Oh, just for now? So you mean there might be something later on?" Jake said with a grin on his face.

"Maybe Jake but who knows. I don't want to risk our friendship for something that might never happen."

Finn started to walk away, making Jake feel bad. "I'm just messing with you Finn. I know that's your P-biz so I'll respect it and stay out of it but I just want you to be happy bro. Its been almost three years since your break up with Flame Princess and you haven't had a girlfriend since. I'm just worried that maybe you're scared of trying because you might end up getting hurt again."

Finn knew that Jake was always looking out for him and deep down he knew that Jake was right. He was just scared of finding someone he cared about and messing things up. That's why he goes out on so many adventures, just to keep himself busy. While he is satisfied with the way things are at the moment, he sometimes finds himself wishing that things had gone differently.

_Maybe if I wouldn't have been such an idiot then Phoebe and I could have kept on dating and ended up happy together. Maybe then she wouldn't have gotten married to that jerk, Lord Bronson_.

Now Finn remembered why he didn't like to think about it. He could feel these old feelings trying to make their way to the surface again.

"Whoa dude, just take it easy."

Finn snapped out of his train of thought when he heard his brother's voice. He looked down and noticed how hard he was clenching his fists.

_Its been three years and I still get riled up like this? Jeez_.

"Hey Jake, I'm going to head over to the Candy Kingdom to tell Bubblegum that we took care of the mountain troll." Finn said as he started to make his way back upstairs, trying to clear his thoughts.

"Can't you just call her?" Jake called after him.

"I need to go buy some items from the candy market so I might as well stop by her place while I'm at it. Need anything from the candy store or candy market?"

"What? I didn't hear that last part."

"Do you need anything from the candy store?" Finn yelled.

There was a brief moment of silence, "What?"

Finn was starting to get annoyed. "Forget about it!"

Finn grabbed his hat off the bed and slipped it on, tucking in any blond hair that stuck out. "Hey Finn! If you're going to the Candy Kingdom can you stop by the candy store? We need sugar, milk and cereal. Actually, don't buy it there, its too expensive. We can stop by Grocery Kingdom later this week and stock up on what we need." Jake said. "Yes, mother." Finn grumbled to himself. He walked over to the wall mount that held his sword and retrieved it for his trip.

_Still has some blood on it. Gotta clean it first._

He grabbed a wet towel from the kitchen and began to wipe it down.

_Wouldn't want the other Finn to say that I don't take care of him_.

The sword he carried on his journeys consisted of one solid steel piece with a blue orb above the handle. It was crafted from the essence of another universe's Finn, and he appropriately named it the Finn sword. He wasn't exactly sure if the other Finn was still 'alive' within the sword, but sometimes, when he peered into the blue orb, he felt as though the reflection he saw wasn't always his own. While not as light as his old grass sword, he could still lay down a beating with confidence when wielding this fine blade. Plus, he didn't have to worry about the sword taking his arm off with it if he ever lost it.

"Alright Jake, I'll be home later today and I'm taking my phone with me in case there is an emergency. Are you going to be home when I get back?" Finn asked, as he slipped on his signature green backpack and sheathed his sword in the backpack's special holder.

" I'll probably be at Lady's place by then." Jake answered, from somewhere in the house.

"Well I'm on my way then. Tell Lady I said hi!" and with that Finn stepped outside to meet the brand new day.

He always enjoyed taking walks around the grasslands because it helped to calm his mind. However, thinking about Phoebe, or now properly known as Flame Queen, brought up old feelings that he had tried to bury long ago. He thought about how their relationship had ended and even three years later he could still feel the sting of the sudden break up. His mind wandered to the memory of how he made a fool of himself after FQ had come looking for him, seeking his aid. She told him about how she was betrayed, poisoned, and run out of her castle after Don John released her father from his lamp. He had rushed into the fiery castle in an attempt to win her back but only succeeded in getting Phoebe and himself captured by Don John's hypnotized forces. In the end, Cinnamon Bun broke them out and they were able to reclaim the throne after Flame King, being the foolish evil leader he was, knocked out Don John in a fistfight, releasing the fire elementals under his spell. Finn remembered standing there in disbelief as CB proclaimed his love for Phoebe and then proceeded to take his place as her faithful knight. Even though their relationship ended up being strictly platonic, Finn couldn't forget the pathetic feeling of getting shown up in front of his ex-girlfriend by none other than CB.

"Come on dude, snap out of it!" Finn said as he shook his head, trying to clear these invasive thoughts from his mind. "There is no point of torturing yourself over something in the past."

Finn decided to think about something else and wondered what he was going to tell PB when she asked about the mountain troll.

_Well it was big, dumb and ugly, but it was definitely way more aggressive than any other troll they had ever faced. It also ate through a good portion of the forest, so that is important as well_.

As Finn was approaching the outskirts of the candy forest, he was able to fully survey the damage caused by yesterday's struggle. There were various uprooted trees scattered amongst their rooted brethren and multiple craters where large rocks had landed with violent force. "Dang it looks like a damn war zone out here. I wonder if Bubblegum is going to send out some workers to clean up this mess."

Finn reached the kingdom gates where he saw two banana guards standing at their posts. "How have you been Fi…whoa what happened to your _**face**_?" asked one of the banana guards, in shock.

"Oh this?" Finn pointed to his black eye. "Me and a troll had a difference of opinions about the treatment of the local environment and things got a little heated. Don't worry though, I made him see the error of his ways."

The banana guards just looked at one another, mouths agape. "Wow you took down the troll that was in the forest yesterday? I would have ran if I saw that thing coming after me!" one of the banana guards exclaimed.

_That's probably why the princess called me yesterday_.

Finn felt bad as soon as the thought popped into his head.

_It's not their fault they aren't as skilled in fighting monsters like Jake and I are. At least they try_.

"Don't worry bud, Jake and I will always be there to take care of any jingleblasters that come looking for trouble." Finn gave them an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. "So is the princess in?" Finn asked, getting back to the task on hand.

"Yep, she is in her castle but nobody has seen her in several days." answered one of the guards.

"Sounds like her alright." Finn said, as he proceeded to enter the castle. "I'll see you guys later."

Finn entered the castle grounds and took in the sights and sounds of the surrounding area.

The Candy Kingdom is Ooo's bustling center of commerce, politics and science. Though it doesn't look as big from the outside, it is easily one of the largest kingdoms in all of Ooo, if not the biggest. It's large, white castle walls and moat keep any would-be invaders at bay, and if push comes to shove, the kingdom is guarded by the two massive Gumball Guardians that stand ready to eradicate any threat at a moments notice. Those watchful sentinels are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Led by Colonel Candy Corn, the kingdom's military is composed of mainly banana guards and is second only to the Slime Kingdom in terms of military prowess. There is never a dull day in the Candy Kingdom, whether there is a festival, a gathering of princesses, or an attack by an ancient being of destruction, life in the Candy Kingdom never slows downs.

As Finn approached the palace, Peppermint Butler offered a greeting as he came out to meet him. "Hello Finn. How are you today?" asked the little mint. "Hiya Pep! I came to talk to the princess about the situation yesterday."

Peppermint pondered it for a moment. "Ah yes, the incident with the troll in the forest, am I correct? I'm assuming that's how you received that elegant black eye?" Pep asked, as he motioned to his right eye.

Finn reached up and softly touched the bruised part around his eye; it was tender and made his eyes misty. "Yeah that troll got me pretty good." Actually, it had been a hard hit, and he was surprised that he only got a black eye and nothing worse.

"Its nothing I can't handle of course. So can I see the princess?" Finn wanted to divert the focus of this conversation away from his black eye. He was starting to feel a little self-conscious.

"Of course Finn, right this way." Pep said, as he invited him into the palace.

There was candy staff going about their usual duties and the occasional banana patrol as they made their way to Bubblegum's lab. It was just another typical day in the palace. As they passed the princess's quarters, Finn couldn't help but sneak a peak into Bubblegum's room. It had been kept neat and tidy and looked as if it hadn't been used in a while.

_Well those guards at the gate did mention something about not having seen the princess in days. She must be engrossed in something especially interesting. Glob knows how much she loves her experiments_.

"So what has the princess been up to?" Finn asked, trying to satisfy his curiosity.

The little butler turned to look up at the human, "To be completely honest, I have no idea. Its been several days since she locked herself in her lab and I've only been able to see her when I bring her something to eat." Pep replied, with slight concern in his voice. "I had no idea that she had talked to you until I heard that you took down that wild beast in the forest. I figured that the princess had called you, though I'm not sure how she found out about it in the first place." They continued walking toward the lab and eventually found the door they were looking for. Pep leaned into the door and spoke into the microphone used to communicate with the inside. "Princess? May I come in? You have a visitor." Pep stepped back when he heard a slight clicking sound, indicating that the door had been unlocked. He opened the door and held it for Finn, giving a slight bow. "Ok Finn, good luck in there."

As Finn stepped inside he realized just how dark it was inside the research room. The only sources of light came from the candles strewn about the place, lighting up like beacons in the darkness. As his vision slowly adjusted to his surroundings he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive by the sight before him. There was a desk to his left that had pieces of papers strewn across it while pens and pencils littered the floor. Dirty plates were piled on top of a book with a title he couldn't even begin to pronounce. There were a couple of chairs on their sides, almost as if knocked over in a fit of frustration, and several whiteboards covered in complex formulas and equations. It smelled of stale air, wax and a little bit like Jake whenever he got wet and didn't dry quickly enough. He passed a rack containing all sorts of scientific instruments and was reminded of how incompetent he was when it came to anything relating to science. He kept looking around until he found the hallway leading to the main lab.

_This place looks like it was donked up. What is this woman up to? Wait...what if something happened to PB?_

He instinctively reached back to feel for his sword, reassured by the comfort of the handle in his grip. As he made his way farther down the hallway it began to lighten up and he could feel a light breeze coming from the opposite direction. When Finn reached the end of the hallway he noticed that it forked left, leading to the bathroom, and right, leading to the main lab. The source of the light and cool breeze was coming from an open window in the bathroom.

_Well with a bathroom in here, of course she won't have a reason to leave her lab._

He turned right and slowly made his way to the main lab. He felt nervous as he tightened his grip on the handle of his sword and he could feel his heart rate quicken. He was ready to draw it in the event he had to fight off an experimental creation gone wrong; it wouldn't have been the first time. The sound of crunching glass stopped him dead in his tracks. He drew his sword as he turned around, ready to face the unknown threat. With nothing there to meet his challenge, he took a step forward and heard the crunching noise again. It was only when he looked down that he realized that he was the 'unknown' threat.

_Jumpy much?_

He let out a breath as he sheathed his sword and bent down to see what he had stepped on. It appeared to have been a beaker of some sort before it was broken, and it had been holding some sort of mushy liquid. He lightly put his finger to it, still unsure of what it was, and noticed that it was slightly tacky and smelled like something familiar. He wiped his hand off with the rag he carried in his backpack and decided to just make his way to the lab.

The first thing to greet him was an all too familiar smell. The faint scent of bubblegum lingered in the air and he immediately recognized who it belonged to. It was the fair princess of the Candy Kingdom, the ruling monarch in charge of the candy people and their grand civilization, and yet she was nowhere to be found. Finn wondered how such a sweet smell could leave him with such bittersweet feelings, but he knew why. The princess was a lot of things; she was beautiful, smart, caring, responsible, mature, and possessed many other qualities befitting a woman of her status. The one thing she could never be, however, was his. Try as he might, he knew the chances of him winning her heart over were slim. The same sense of responsibility that made her an effective leader also kept them apart. The safety and welfare of her kingdom came before all else, and she has demonstrated before that she would go to great lengths to ensure their continued survival. He had chased her years ago in the hopes that they could one day be together, only to be crushed by the unforgiving force that is reality. Even when he thinks back to how foolish it was, he couldn't blame himself for believing that he had a chance to capture her heart. She was his first love after all, even if he wasn't hers. Whether he wanted to or not, he had to accept this cold truth and find a way of moving on. Life has a weird way of balancing out the scales, and in time, he managed to find another to give his heart to, a certain fiery princess, but, alas, even that came to an end. His immaturity eventually pushed her away and, later on down the road, into the arms of another.

Finn delved deeper into the princess' lair, growing more worried with each passing second he wasn't able to find her.

_Where the heck **is** she? This lab is only so big; there can't be that many places to hi-_

"Finn."

It was merely a whisper, but the fact that it was right behind him and in his ear nearly made Finn jump out of his skin. Finn jumped forward and spun around at the same time, his heart racing away as it tried to find a way out of his chest. "P-P-Princess is that you?" Finn asked, slightly shaken.

"Yeah Finn, its me. Can you flip that switch next to you please?"

Finn reached around blindly for the switch until he flipped it on. He was immediately bathed in a sea of white as the light turned on, forcing him to close his eyes for a couple seconds. When he opened them he looked around the room until he spotted with whom he was here to talk to. The princess was a mess. Her normally smooth hair was unkempt and, by the looks of it, was apparently caught in a tornado. Her bright pink eyes were puffy and she had bags under her eyes, making it look like she was permanently squinting. Her lab coat had food and chemical stains and was wrinkled, indicating it hadn't been taken off in a couple days and probably slept in too.

"Gob you almost gave me a heart attack!" Finn said, as he tried to steady his heartbeat. "Are you okay PB?"

Bubblegum yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Yes Finn I'm fine, just a little tired. Did Peppy send you? Also, what do you plan on doing with** _that_**?" PB pointed at Finn's hands. Confused, Finn looked down and saw the sword in his hands, realizing that he must have instinctively drawn it. Finn relaxed and took a slow breath, feeling the tension leave his body. He sheathed his sword and looked back to the princess. "Pep didn't call for me, I was already on my way here to inform you that we took care of the troll that was destroying the forest."

PB stood there, lost in thought. "How long ago was that again?"

_Man she is really out of it. Maybe I should just come back tomorrow after she has had some rest_.

Finn saw the condition she was in and decided to get her to sleep before she keeled over from exhaustion. "Hey PB, no offense, but you look jacked up. Why don't you get some rest and I can just tell you about it tomorrow?" PB shook her head and went over to take a seat at a nearby table. She crossed her arms flat on the table and rested her head on them. "I'm not that tired, honest. Go ahead and tell me about the troll."

Finn knew better than to believe her in the state she was in but decided the sooner he gave his report the sooner she would go to bed. "Well this troll was unlike any that Jake and I had faced before. It was huge, easily towering over the surrounding trees." Finn emphasized by stretching an arm high above his head. "By the time we got to the location a large patch of trees had already been stripped of their cotton candy. It was more powerful than your average mountain troll and this one had an extra head and an extra pair of arms to boot. It was highly aggressive, and it bombarded us with rocks, stones and even trees that it had ripped up from the ground. We managed to chop off its arms before it escaped back into the forest and we think that it most likely bled out." Finn finished and looked at PB, waiting for a response.

"Interesting. Well there have been several reports of similar incidences across Ooo, and while it isn't uncommon for most trolls to feed on candy and candy organisms, they usually never do it to the current rate that we are seeing now. Large portions of candy forests across Ooo are being devoured like never before. This is something…" PB paused as she let out a big yawn, "that I'll have to look into further. I can't let these trolls keep on janking up my forests."

PB was having trouble keeping her eyes open so Finn decided to wrap things up. "Sounds like my job here is done then. By the way, I was wondering how you heard about the troll if you were locked away in here this whole time."

Bubblegum casually waved her hand around, "Oh I've got my…ways Finny. Old habits…die…hard."

Finn watched as she finally gave in to the heavenly allure of sleep and he could hear the sound of relaxed breathing, indicating that she had fallen into her peaceful slumber. "Um, hello? Princess? Well I guess she is out cold." Finn rubbed his neck, not knowing what to do. Since she probably wasn't going to wake up anytime soon he decided that it wouldn't be favorable for her to sleep in a cold laboratory, as compared to her comfy room. He walked over to her, picked her up bridal style, and made his way out of the lab.

She was surprisingly heavy for a princess, but this was something he would never say out loud, of course. Jake taught him that is was a cardinal sin to make a comment about a woman's weight, even if meant in a positive way. Then again, Bubblegum wasn't exactly your 'typical' princess. He had watched her duke it out with Ricardio, she survived a heated 'debate' with the Flame Queen and had even put up with the Ice King whenever he used to kidnap her all the time, all while running the biggest kingdom of Ooo. Even though Finn knew that she could be rather cold and detached sometimes, she wasn't exactly an angel, Finn had to admit that she was one tough girl.

As Finn passed the bathroom and entered the hallway, a strong, cool breeze came in through the window, causing Bubblegum to wrap one of her arms around Finn's neck in an attempt to snuggle closer to his warmth. Even though he knew it was probably just a reflex, he couldn't help but feel his face get a little warmer. He could feel her softly breathing against his neck and decided that it would be wise to hurry before he got any more excited. He got to the door and pressed the button with his foot, opening it, and made his way to the princess' quarters.

When he entered her room, he could tell just how drastic the change in room temperature was between the lab and her room. It was noticeably warmer so he didn't have to worry about her getting sick in that cold laboratory. He laid her down on the bed and was about to leave when he remembered how dirty the lab coat that she was sleeping in was. He debated whether or not to take it off and realized that he didn't know what she was wearing underneath.

_I don't want to seem like some creep, stripping her clothes off while she sleeps, but that thing is totes dirty_.

He pondered it for another moment and determined that it was too risky considering she could have only been wearing a bra and panties for all he knew, and decided to take the gentleman's route. He kicked his curiosity to the curb, for now, and quietly made his way out of the room. He silently closed the door and turned around just as Peppermint Butler made his way towards him.

"So how is the princess? Is she ok?" the little butler asked, anxiously.

Finn was glad that he decided not to take off her coat; Pep would have shown up and maybe gotten the wrong impression. "Yeah she is fine overall but she is a real mess. She fell asleep with her dirty lab coat on so you might want to take care of that. She just needs some rest and she'll be back to normal. Whatever that is."

Pep opened the door and peeked inside, "Thank you for taking care of her Finn. I'll see to it that she gets her rest."

Finn just shrugged his shoulders, "No probs man, I'll see you later Pep." Finn left the candy butler to his duties and left the palace.

It was mid-afternoon so he decided to stop by his favorite restaurant for a meal and then afterwards he stopped by the local blacksmith to buy a whetstone and some oil to sharpen his blade with. It was getting dark by the time he left the kingdom and nighttime quickly caught up to him on the way home. Fireflies shone within the forest as he hurried home and the moon's light shone brightly, dampening the darkness a bit. Yellow orbs danced amongst the trees around him as he made his way past the forest and into the grasslands. He glanced back to the trees to catch another glimpse of the fireflies dancing in the wind, but was surprised when he saw two faint red orbs among them. However, as soon as he laid his eyes upon them, they quickly disappeared into the darkness.

_The creepy ones always come out at night…_

As he turned back toward home, a bright light caught his eye, and he gazed up at the stars to see them falling out of the sky. Finn stood there, mesmerized by the lightshow, watching as brilliant streaks of light danced back and forth amongst the heavens. He lay in the soft grass and enjoyed the spectacle for a while longer. It was a beautiful sight, but Finn felt a little pang in his chest. He had no idea why but it felt like he was missing something at that precise moment, something he dearly needed. When his eyes had their fill, he got up and ran the rest of the way home. He showered, put on his pajamas and jumped into his bed. With his hands behind his head he stared up at the ceiling, recollecting his thoughts while awaiting blissful sleep. As his eyes grew heavy, he remembered that Jake was going to be gone for a couple days.

_Jake mentioned something earlier about a meteor shower tonight. Although, he also mentioned something about food falling from the sky. Hmm, I wonder what Jake and Lady are up to…on second thought, nevermind._


	2. Chapter 2

It was especially dark tonight. As Finn stepped out of the Cotton Candy Forest he felt like he was the only living thing in the entirety of Ooo at that moment. He cautiously walked into the grasslands while checking his surroundings, expecting an ambush or attack of some sort. Finn didn't know what was more unnerving; the sudden lack of stars in the sky or the fact that it was completely and eerily silent. The moon was in its New Moon phase, offering no light to guide his way. Even the wind was gone for he could feel not even the gentlest of breezes. When he felt safe enough to, he turned around and looked in the direction of the Candy Kingdom. There was nothing but darkness and not even the large tree that sat upon the palace could be seen, it was almost as if the kingdom had disappeared.

_What was I doing at the kingdom? Was I even there in the first place?_

Finn turned back toward the tree house and spotted the faint orange glow of the early morning sunrise coming over the horizon. He was elated by the thought of not having to be trapped in this seemingly eternal darkness for long. The sky began to fill with ash and smoke as Finn made his way farther into the grasslands. He had trouble breathing and his eyes wept as they tried to rid themselves of the pollution in the air. Finn started to get an ominous feeling in his gut when the smoke continued to intensify instead of dissipate.

_Something isn't right. I've got a bad feeling about this…_

His lungs began to burn from the smoke inhalation so he reached into his backpack and withdrew a rag to tie around his nose and mouth. Coming over a large hill, he realized that it wasn't the faint orange glow of the sunrise he had seen, but the light coming from what seemed to be a large fire. Although there was another hill blocking his view of whatever was on fire, he could tell that it was quite the inferno as the flames stretched high into the sky. The feeling in his gut doubled when he realized that his tree house was in the same area and direction as the fire.

_No, no, no…_

Finn started sprinting toward his house, praying that he wouldn't find a pile of ashes where his home had once been. He made it to the crest of the hill, dizzy from the run and lack of fresh air, and stared in horror as his worst fear was realized. The mighty tree that had been their home and sanctuary for years was engulfed in flames and on the verge of collapse. He could only stand there with his mouth open, watching as branches began to snap and plummet to the floor. It was as if the Nightosphere itself had opened up to swallow the tree whole.

"This…this can't be happening!" Finn yelled, as he began making his way to the towering blaze.

The haze grew thicker as Finn stumbled toward his house, struggling to keep his eyes open in the dense smoke. He was starting to feel light-headed but knew that he had to press on if he wanted to have any chance of figuring out what had happened. He got down on all fours to reach the slightly clearer air closer to the ground and started to crawl until he reached a small ditch. He rolled inside, hacking and coughing, and took a few moments to inhale some much-needed air and to rub his eyes to clear them up a bit. Finn rolled over and began to crawl his way up the ditch, mentally preparing himself to run the gauntlet once again. He braced himself, but stopped when he felt something odd under his hand. He picked it up and brought it into the light, feeling his heart skip a beat. The object was still warm, partially melted and looked slightly flattened, almost as if dropped from a tall surface. What caught his attention, however, was it's teal coloring.

_Please don't let it be-_

Hands shaking, he flipped it over and the only thing Finn could manage was a small gasp. Although it had scorch marks from the fire, Finn could still read what was left of the "BMO" on its side. His heart fell at the sight before him as he brought the object close to his chest.

_Who would do such a thing?_

Sadness quickly became rage as he laid the ruined MO that had once been Beemo softly on the ground.

_I don't know who did this but when I find them I'll…I'll…_

He grit his teeth and made his way out of the ditch, eager to avenge his fallen friend. He reached the base of the tree and remembered that his brother could have also been in there.

_Jake, please tell me you made it out in time._

However, being this close to the fire meant less oxygen for him to breathe and he could feel himself slipping into darkness. He managed to make it to the door but due to the oxygen deprivation he fell to his knees and then onto his back. He felt a sudden weight on his chest and everything started to blur but Finn suddenly heard several loud footsteps coming from the doorway. He lifted his head and saw an armor-clad figure step through the doorway. He wore a chest piece and lower-body armor as well, but his arms and head were exposed. Red runes ran across the visible parts of his body, on both of his arms and parts of his face. Because the person was in front of the fire, Finn couldn't make out his face and it was only when a falling branch landed in close proximity that Finn was able to get a good look. He stared in shock as his brain struggled to register what his eyes were seeing. It was another Finn.

_It can't be. That is **not** me. There is no way I would do something like this. It has to be an imposter._

Cold blue eyes stared back at him menacingly as the other Finn made his way toward him. The thud of heavy steel boots grew louder as he neared, Finn's fear rising with each approaching step. He tried desperately to move but his body was numb and when he tried to speak he realized that his face was as well. A large shadow loomed over him and Finn's eyes grew wide when he spotted his twin standing over him. The other Finn's hand went to his waist and pulled out a large sword as black as the night above him. Runic symbols glowed from within the sword as it was raised in the air, ready to plummet into the helpless Finn below. Finn hoped that he would pass out soon so that he wouldn't have to feel the sword's cold bite and felt relieved as he finally sank into the cold abyss.

Finn woke up with a start. His eyes darted back and forth, taking in his surroundings as his heart raged within his chest. He lay still, fearing that if he moved the blaze would rise again to consume him. After several tense moments, he realized that he was back in his room, in bed, and that in fact his whole house hadn't burned down. He closed his eyes and took slow breaths, glad that he had slain the Fear Feaster years ago, lest he would show up again to mock him. When his mind finally accepted that it had only been a nightmare, he allowed himself to relax a bit. However, Finn still couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that plagued his senses.

_What was that all about? It all felt so real and…and I almost got killed, by **me**. What the heck did they put in my meatloaf yesterday? That's the last time I go to that restaurant._

He let out a heavy sigh and noticed that he still felt a pressure on his chest. He tried to move but felt that something was physically on top of him, keeping him pinned to the bed. That was when he noticed that he felt rather damp, as if he had been sweating profusely, and figured that it had been caused by the nightmare. He started to get restless and was about to force himself up when a pale face suddenly appeared inches away from his own. Finn once again felt his heart rate skyrocket as the person stared at him intently. Red eyes that reminded him too much of the runes the other Finn had on his body began to look him over with curiosity. The intruder gave him a smile, revealing two small fangs.

"Hey weenie, you look like you've seen a ghost."

Finn was staring at Marceline the Vampire Queen, one of Ooo's oldest inhabitants. Although she was over a thousand years old, she looked only a year or two older than Finn, thanks to her very slow aging process. As her name states, she is a vampire but was born with demon blood and thus has many of their qualities, such as super strength, vampire fangs used to draw blood and an extreme sensitivity to light, amongst other things. However, unlike traditional vampires, who feed primarily on blood, she has the ability to feed off of the color red. She has a pale complexion and cool-to-the-touch skin, typical of most vampires. And here she was, lying before him, or rather, on top of him.

"M-Marceline, what are you doing here?" Finn asked, surprised.

Marceline flicked a wrist, lighting up the candles in the room. "Oh I heard you mumbling like a puppy in its sleep so I decided to check it out." she answered casually.

Finn looked at her, as if expecting a different answer, while Marceline just stared back, not fully understanding the question. They stayed like that for several seconds until Finn asked her again. "Actually, I meant what are you doing _**here**_? As in my house?"

Marceline's face lit up, understanding the true question. "Well my shower is broken so I decided I'd stop by and use yours. When I came in you were already asleep so I thought that you wouldn't mind." She folded her arms on his chest and looked up at him, waiting for a response.

"Jeez Marcy, can you at least try to avoid giving me a heart attack next time? At this rate I really will get one." Finn responded.

He laid his head back on the pillow, wondering why he was even surprised. It wasn't unusual for her to do these kinds of things. One time they even found her going through their fridge late one night, supposedly looking for something red to eat. They figured that she usually does these types of things because she gets bored and wants to hang out, something she would never admit to of course. It had been a couple weeks since they last saw each other so he figured that was why she was here. When Finn looked back at her he noticed that she was fresh out of the shower with only a towel covering her body, her _**naked**_ body. The room suddenly got warmer as the realization hit Finn.

"Hey, um, Marceline, don't you think you should go change, since, you know, you just got out of the shower." Finn said, blushing.

Marceline let out a giggle. "Aw Finn and here I was thinking that you would be all excited to see me." She said, pretending to look hurt.

She got off him and sat on the edge of the bed, giving a big stretch. He admired her long, slender figure while trying not to stare too much. Her long, black hair reached below her waist, and he always enjoyed watching it blow in the wind. Finn could see that the towel was slipping around her chest and quickly looked away, using all of his heroic willpower not to steal a glance.

_Don't look, don't look, don't look…_

She spied him from the corner of her eye and let out a mischievous laugh as she floated off of his bed and out of his room. Finn watched her go, checking out her legs as she went, and wondered if he would ever understand that woman. He rolled out of bed and decided to change out of his damp clothes, since Marceline was the one who wet them with her towel. With fresh clothes on, he grabbed his signature white bear hat and made his way downstairs.

He glanced at the clock and saw that only a few hours had passed since he had fallen asleep. Hungry, he walked over to the fridge and grabbed a leftover sandwich for himself and a couple of apples for the Vampire Queen. He washed them and put them on one plate and his sandwich on the other and sat down at the table to eat. Marceline entered the kitchen, wearing long, black jeans and a black tee with a skull on it, and made her way to the fridge but stopped halfway when Finn threw her an apple. She caught it, sucked the red out of it and threw it back, waiting for the other one. Finn finished his sandwich, tossed her the other apple and he began eating the newly grey apple.

"Can I ask you something?" Finn asked suddenly.

"Sure thing, shorty." Marceline responded.

Finn took a bite out of his apple, "Do you taste anything when you eat the color red? Like, do some reds taste different than others?"

Marceline sucked the red out of the second apple and thought about it for a moment. "Well, it doesn't have a specific taste, but I do get full when I eat sufficient amounts of it. Its kind of hard to explain it to a simple mortal like you."

Finn just rolled his eyes, "Riiight. Also, I do believe that I am taller than you and I do not appreciate your comment about my height."

Marcy quirked an eyebrow, "Oh really? What do you plan to do about it, _**shorty**_?"

"I shall defend my honor!" Finn proclaimed, and he suddenly started charging towards her.

He ran up to her, caught her by the leg and pulled her down just as she tried to float above him. As she came down with her back to him, he wrapped his arms underneath hers and looped them behind her head, trapping her with her arms above her head. He held on with all his might as she used her strength to push down on his hold with her arms. When she felt his hold weaken, she flew up and broke the grab, sending Finn crashing to the ground. He landed on his side with an "oof" and managed to roll just in time to dodge a drop kick from the now angry vampire.

"Oh, so you want to play rough now, do ya?" Marceline asked with a challenge in her voice.

"Bring it, sweetheart!" roared Finn, at the top of his lungs.

She flew straight at him and managed to grab him by the shirt as he tried to jump out of the way. She held him in a bear hug and started to fly in circles at high speeds, making him dizzy. After he was thoroughly spun, she threw him against the wall and watched him land with a thud. Finn got up with a groan, trying to steady himself as the world spun around him and was hit in the face by a grey apple, knocking him back down again.

Marceline was laughing hard, holding her sides, "Come on Finn, just give up! We both know you can't handle m-" she broke off as she dodged a flying chair and heard it crash against the wall behind her.

_That little brat!_

Marceline let out a growl as she charged Finn again, ready to put the hurt on him, but was caught by surprise when several pots and pans came flying her way. She was able to dodge most of them but she was knocked back as a pan hit her square in the face, causing her to lower slightly to the ground. Finn took advantage of this and leaped from the kitchen table, landing a clean punch to her midsection. Winded, she fell to the floor and tried to catch her breath, waiting for Finn's next assault. He landed away from her and began running toward her again. Marceline saw this and stood up as fast as she could, preparing for whatever was next, but was surprised when Finn suddenly ducked and swept her legs out from under her. She landed back down with a thud as Finn stood over her.

"Had enough yet Mar-Mar?" Finn asked with a smile on his face.

_Oh I **hate** it when he calls me that! He is going down!_

The Vampire Queen aimed a kick at his shins, forcing Finn to jump back, and used that break to fly into the air. She gave him an evil smile, sending chills up Finn's spine.

"You've done it now, hero. Prepare to face my wrath!" Marceline yelled.

She began to transform into her giant demon-bat form and let out a wicked laugh as Finn hastily backed away from her. Neither of them noticed the torn remains that were Marceline's clothes falling to the ground.

"Oh man I really did it now…" Finn whispered to himself.

He looked around for anything he could use before she finished her transformation. He remembered the last time he took her on in her demon-bat form and even though it had been six years since, he still felt just as wary of her power.

_And last time Jake was the one who came to save me after I got my butt handed to me and then even **he** got his butt kicked. Speaking of Jake, he is going to flip when he sees this mess._

He rummaged through the cupboards and drawers, searching for something that could give him the advantage and found what he was looking for.

"Hello Creator." greeted the little electronic voice.

"Neptr! Just the guy I need right now!" Finn gave him a big smile as he picked him up. "Listen Neptr, I need you to help me prank someone really quick, ok? Can you help me?"

"Of course Papa, anything for you!" replied the robot, enthusiastically.

"Math! Okay, so the plan is…"

Marceline finished her transformation and began looking for the little human. She scanned the area and started to move around but had to slow down when she began bumping her head on some of the low fixtures. She was beginning to grow impatient so she decided to sniff him out with her heightened sense of smell. The faint smell of human drew her to a side room and she was about to check when said human jumped through the doorway.

"Eat my fist Marceline!" Finn exclaimed, as he landed a punch on one of her thighs.

He quickly sprinted out of the way as Marceline lunged toward him, fingers grasping nothing but air. When he turned, she noticed that he was clutching a broom in both hands. She let out a hearty laugh when she saw this and started making her way to him.

"Thanks for bringing me a toothpick, Finn. I can use it after I'm done sucking up all of your blood."

"Suck on this!" Finn grabbed a pan from the floor and threw it at her with all his strength.

She brushed it aside and reached out to grab him, only to have him swipe her hand away with his broom. She was starting to get irritated and began throwing whatever she could get her hands on at him. Finn bobbed and weaved as he dodged the flying debris, laughing like a lunatic as he did. It was only when he tripped over a piece of a broken chair that Marcy was able to grasp him in her clutches. Finn struggled but it was no use, she was just too strong. She threw him to the floor and picked him up again, this time by his legs, so that he was dangling upside down. Finn was still stunned and could only hang there as he recovered from the shock.

She smiled demonically at him with her huge demon-bat fangs as she brought him up to her face. "Any last words, Finn the Loser?"

"Neptr!" hollered the captured human.

"Who the hell is Neptr?" asked the Vampire Queen, confused.

"That would be me, large bat-lady." came the response from behind them.

A gooey projectile struck the back of her head and she turned to face this new attacker. She looked for the perpetrator but was surprised to find that it was a little robot, a tiny speck compared to her. She scowled and began walking toward it and was shocked when she got a pie to the face. She let out a roar as her left eye began to sting, wiping the hot pie filling away with one of her hands. Neptr continued to bombard her with pies as Marceline used her other hand, the one holding Finn, to try and block them. Finn ended up getting hit just as much as Marceline, but he kept encouraging the robot, knowing that she would have to shrink back down if she wanted to avoid all those pies.

Marceline stumbled as she tried to avoid the onslaught, but for every pie dodged, three more hit their target. Her eyes began to shut instinctively from the pain and she walked around blindly, banging into object after object. Fed up, she tossed Finn aside and began shrinking back down into her normal size again, taking shelter behind an overturned table. Finn slowly got up after getting thrown into the wall, again, and noticed the lack of a giant demon-bat around him.

"Ok Neptr, I think we got her." Finn said as he cautiously searched for the vampire.

"Papa, I saw her stop behind that table. Shall we continue to prank her?" asked the loyal robot.

Finn spotted the broom he was using to defend himself earlier and picked it up, making his way toward the table. "No Neptr, I think she has had enough."

As he looked over the table he saw her rise and he felt his mouth go dry. Marceline stared back at him, eyes especially red from the hot pie filling. She was angry, covered in pie filling, and totally unaware that she was naked. Finn knew that this would probably end very badly but some primitive desire kept him from turning away.

_Well since I'm probably about to die anyways…_

Even though she had a slender frame, she had volume in all the right places. Her breasts were a nice size and had a certain perkiness to them that drew his eyes to them. Though her waist was small, there was something about the way she was standing that gave her an air of sultriness that he had never experienced before. Her long black hair only served to further compliment her look, coming down around her narrow shoulders and over her face. Although she looked comical covered in blueberry pie, Finn could only stare in awe at the woman in front of him. He had accidentally seen her naked once before but it had never been anything like this. When he noticed that she shaved her delicate region, he began to blush uncontrollably.

Finn broke free from the spell when Marceline began to move again, using a hand to move the hair out of her face. "Dammit Finn, now I smell like a freaking dessert." She noticed how Finn was checking her out, still not aware of her current predicament. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Finn rubbed his head and looked away, sheepishly. "Well, um, its kinda because you're naked."

Marceline looked down at herself and nearly yelled. She was nude, from head to toe, and hadn't even realized it until now. Her face grew a slight shade of red, "Finn, what the crap? Why didn't you say anything sooner, you pervert!" She turned herself invisible and headed straight for the bathroom.

"I'm sorry Marceline!" Finn yelled after her.

He wiped sweet filling off of his face, wincing as he brushed his black eye. He was surprised that through all that, he never once got hit on the bruise on his face. Neptr was next to him, and he gave him a smile. "Thanks for your help Neptr. I couldn't have done it without you." He patted his companion on the head.

"That was fun Creator! We should prank the bat-lady again!" replied the little robot, enthusiastically.

"I'm defs down with that but maybe some other time, ok buddy?"

"Very well Creator, I shall go back to my room to re-energize now. Throwing all those pies has left me rather drained."

Finn watched his creation take its leave, feeling a slight sense of pride. He looked around at what was left of the kitchen and living room and dreaded the thought of having to clean everything up.

_Well you wanted to horse around didn't you? I guess that next comes the boring part._

He began cleaning up what he could, picking up chairs and turning over a table. Using the broom he wielded against Marceline, he swept up broken plates, leftover pies and other debris of the battle. Even though there was a huge mess and his body ached once again, Finn had a huge smile on his face. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to go all out whenever he wanted to wrestle with somebody. He could only do that with Jake but he usually grew tired of it pretty quickly. Although Marcy was a girl, he didn't feel bad for going all out against her because he knew that she could just as easily flip his bricks if she wanted to.

He heard the sound of the shower running above and wondered what she was going to wear when she got out. Climbing up to his room, he walked over to his closet and pulled out the only thing he could offer. He walked over to the bathroom with blue shorts and shirt in hand and knocked on the door.

"Hey Marceline I brought you some clothes so I'm just-"

"You better not come in here trying to sneak another peek Finn! I'll strangle you if you do!" she yelled from the other side of the door.

"I said I was sorry! I didn't mean to stare at you!" Finn yelled back. "I'm just going to leave the clothes outside of the door!"

"Fine!"

He left the clothes and climbed back downstairs to continue where he left off. He was able to clean up most of the mess and managed to put most of the furniture back in place but realized that he would have to go out to buy some new pieces to replace the ones that had been broken. As the adrenaline high from the battle began to fade away, Finn definitely began to feel the after-effects of getting thrown around like a doll. He rubbed his shoulder, thinking about the promise of a warm shower. That being said, Marceline had yet to finish her shower, and he could feel the pie filling plastered on his body starting to become sticky and gross.

"What is taking her so long? Even Jake showers faster than she does."

Wanting to wash the gunk off badly, he decided to use the small pond right behind the tree house. For some reason the water was always clear and it kept the same temperature no matter what season it was. He rushed upstairs to grab another change of clothes and a towel and bounded back down and out the door. He approached the pond's edge and looked in, marveling at the reflection of the stars on the water's surface. He quickly stripped and waded in, relishing the cool water as he submerged himself and swam out into the middle. It really was a small pond; in fact, if it were any smaller, he would have considered it a large puddle, and it only reached up to his thighs when he stood in the middle. He began rinsing off the pie and sweat and dove back under again to wash his face. It was when he came back up again that he noticed he wasn't alone. He stood up and walked toward a shimmering object that was slowly rising out of the water's surface.

"Hey! Who's there?" Finn asked, nervously.

"Hi Finn." greeted Denise the water nymph.

Finn felt rather exposed when he realized who it was and sank back down into the water. He sat there for a few moments, wondering if she had seen anything and decided to make small talk to break the awkward silence.

"Oh hey Denise. Its been a long time, hasn't it?" Finn responded.

"Yes Finn, it has. How is your brother? He hasn't partied in the Cloud Kingdom for quite some time." Denise replied, in her slow manner of speech.

"He's been busy with stuff lately but I'm sure if you tell him he'll be happy to go. He is a pretty crazy party dog after all."

Denise started walking toward Finn. "It just hasn't been the same since Party God disappeared a couple years ago. Nobody knows what happened to him."

As Denise approached him, Finn began to slowly back up as far as he could without 'exposing' himself. She stopped in front of him and crouched down to look him in the eyes. Finn always wondered how her hair was always able to flow the way it was, sort of like a small waterfall that was able to take shape as her hair.

"Listen Finn, I'm actually here to warn you about something that we, the water nymphs, have noticed recently. We have the ability to read the energies that course through the waterways we inhabit around Ooo, and we have found something troubling." She said with a serious tone. "It seems that the evil ocean that we thought Billy had vanquished has somehow come back, as if revived by some unknown force." At the mention of Billy, Finn sat up straight and listened attentively. Denise continued, "Although it isn't anywhere as strong as it used to be, it still troubles us that it was even brought back in the first place. We wanted to make you, the great hero of Ooo, aware of the situation in hopes that you may slay it, just as the great Billy once did."

Finn looked down at the water around him, wondering if he would ever be able to follow up his hero and idol, Billy. He might not be as big or as strong as Billy had once been, but he would try his hardest to help those in need; such was his hero's code of honor. He decided that if he was going to try to take down the evil ocean he would have to ask Jake as well when he returned from Lady's house.

"Of course I'll help you Denise." Finn replied.

"Thank you Finn. We appreciate everything you do for this land. Now, I'll leave you to finish your bath." Denise said as she submerged beneath the water, giving him a wink and a small wave goodbye.

"Laters." Finn waved back.

After checking to make sure she had actually disappeared, Finn finished washing and got out to dry himself. Feeling refreshed, he changed into his clean clothes and made his way back into the house. He climbed upstairs into the living room and found Marceline relaxing on the couch with her legs up. He was surprised to see her on the ground as compared to always floating around.

"I don't think I've seen you sit on a couch for a while, Marcy."

"Well I can't exactly go floating around like this, can I?" she said as she floated up.

Finn noticed how baggy his shirt looked on her and laughed when she had to quickly grab her shorts as they started to slip off. He didn't realize how much bigger he was compared to the Vampire Queen until he saw her wearing his clothes; it was actually kind of cute.

"And besides," she continued, "its pretty embarrassing flying around commando in someone else's house."

"Commando?" Finn asked, innocently.

Marceline gave him a smirk. "I see Jake still has some things to teach you, little boy."

Finn just shrugged and walked over to the couch where she had previously been laying down. He sat down, propping his legs on a small table that was missing one of its own legs, and rested his head back. He closed his eyes for a bit, feeling fatigued.

"Anyways, what took you so long?" Finn asked.

"Um, do you know how long it took me to get all of this pie out of my hair?" she said, moving her head to the side so that her hair hung down to show him. "Its not easy having this much hair you know. I'm pretty sure you always keep your hair short since you wear that dorky hat."

Finn gave her a look. "Its not dorky and I actually used to have long hair years ago. I gave it to a witch to keep her from feeling bad about herself. Well, that and the fact that she was trying to suck Jake up her butt, of course."

Marceline didn't believe him. "I highly doubt that, but I can totally see Jake getting sucked up some old lady's butt."

Finn just closed his eyes again. "Fine, whatevs."

Marceline floated behind the couch and whispered mischievously into his ear, "Guess what I'm not wearing right now?"

Finn sat there, debating if he should even ask, until he remembered that he had only given her a pair of shorts and a shirt. Finn blushed slightly when he realized the answer to her question and just pretended that he didn't know.

"Aw Finn, you're no fun." She said, when Finn didn't play along. "Well since you're being lame, I'm going to go ahead and leave. I've got things to do and people to see tonight."

She floated away, holding on to her borrowed shorts, and turned before heading down the stairs, "See you later, Finn the Loser."

"Bye Mar-Mar." Finn replied, chuckling when he heard her grumble in annoyance.

Finn heard the door open and close and looked around at the living room. He thought about the places he could buy new furniture before Jake showed up and decided to worry about it in the morning. He climbed up to his room, knowing he would only get a few hours of sleep, and flopped onto his bed. He fell fast asleep, hoping he didn't dream of the other Finn that still plagued his very thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

"Finn. Finn. Fiiiinn!"

Finn woke up to the voice of Beemo as he tried to shake him awake. As he stirred, the little MO came into focus next to him and he gave Finn a smile. "Good afternoon, sleepyhead. Do you plan on sleeping the whole day?" Beemo asked.

"Morning, Beemo." Finn replied back as he wiped off some drool from his face.

Finn flipped over on his side to face Beemo and passed gas, amused by Beemo's disapproving facial expression. "I am glad that I do not have a nose because my sensors indicate a high level of unappealing scents coming from your butt. I feel sorry for Jake if this is how you wake up every morning."

Finn chuckled. "Ha! If you think this is bad, you should see Jake after he eats the Everything Burrito. I usually sleep in the living room those days out of fear of getting smothered in my sleep."

Beemo gave his clothes a tug. "Come on Finn, I haven't had breakfast yet since I was waiting for your lazy butt to wake up. Its already three-o-clock!" He said as he continued pulling at his clothes.

"Alright Beemo I'm up, I'm up!" Finn said as he sat up. "How about I whip us up some sandwiches, huh buddy?"

"Breakfast time! Breakfast time!" shouted the little MO, happily. "I'm going to brush my teeth before we eat." He hopped off the bed and started to make his way to the bathroom.

"Gross, you've been awake all this time and you haven't brushed your teeth yet?" Finn teased.

"Don't judge me." Beemo answered as he disappeared into the bathroom.

Finn always wondered why Beemo insisted on doing the things that flesh and blood creatures normally did on a daily basis. They have always treated him as part of the family and as such have always treated him like any other living being. He always wants to eat and drink with them, not that they mind of course, and they respect his desire to be 'alive'. Not to mention that he has a tendency to swap between 'genders' on a whim. Although he may be a little weird, it's that weirdness that gives Beemo his, or her, rather interesting charm. He is always there to cheer them up on their down days with his favorite phrase, "Who wants to play videogames?" Finn is happy to indulge the little guy and he considers him one of his best friends.

The sudden image of Beemo's melted body popped into his head. He could vividly remember the part of his nightmare where he found Beemo's corpse and the sadness and rage that he felt at not being able to have been there to save his friend. He snapped out of his trance, mentally vowing to never let harm come to his little friend so long as he still drew breath. Finn sat there, still tired and sore from last night's rumble, when his stomach let out a growl. "Guess its time to put some fuel in the tank." He said to himself as he patted his belly.

Letting out one last yawn, he rose from bed and began to perform several stretches to loosen up his stiff muscles and joints. He let out a satisfied groan as he felt several of his joints pop and jumped in place to get his blood flowing. Fully awake, he took off his hat and shook his head to ruffle up his bed hair and proceeded to make his way downstairs. Since Beemo was taking his time in the bathroom he decided to have a couple sandwiches ready by the time he got out. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed the necessary ingredients; Bread, mayo, ham, cheese and last but not least, Prismo's specially sliced pickles. He placed the ingredients down on the table and sat down, letting out a surprised grunt as the chair broke underneath his weight. Finn lay there on the floor laughing as he remembered that he would have to go buy some new furniture today. Adding that to his mental to-do list, he stood up and prepared several sandwiches for them to eat for breakfast, or rather, lunch.

After throwing out the broken chair and preparing several sandwiches for them to eat, he made himself a double ham and cheese sandwich for later. He put it in the fridge and was about to call down Beemo when all of a sudden there was a loud "Beemo chop!" from above. Finn instinctively rolled left and managed to barely dodge the little ninja's attack, watching as the shocked Mo landed on the ground.

"Good one Finn, you are definitely getting faster now. A couple more years and you might finally be ninja material." Beemo said as he stood up and rubbed his behind.

"You used to get me all the time, but maybe now the student has become the master." Finn hopped in place, throwing a few punches as he did.

"Don't get ahead of yourself Finn. Maybe one day you can, but there is still much for you to learn." Beemo replied, serious.

"Of course, master." Finn gave him a bow, trying hard not to crack a smile.

"Now where are those sandwiches?" Beemo asked.

Finn picked him up and took him over to the table, sitting him down on one of the chairs that wasn't on the verge of breaking. He grabbed two plates and placed a sandwich on each, giving the first one to Beemo. He sat down next to him and began to eat his sandwich, surprised at how hungry he really was, and was glad that he had made several more. After tearing through two more sandwiches, he turned to see how Beemo was doing and he didn't recognize him under the layer of mayo and bread mashed on his face. Since he didn't have a physical mouth to chew with, he usually ends up just shoving the food in his face until he is satisfied. Finn got up and grabbed a damp towel to wipe his face down with and quickly cleaned Beemo up. When he finished, Beemo gave him a big smile.

"Thank you Finn, that was delicious!" Beemo said, happy.

"No problem bud." Finn replied as he gave Beemo a fist-bump. "Well I'm going to have to go out for a bit Beemo. There is some stuff I gotta take care of before Jake gets back."

"Ok." Beemo simply responded.

Finn picked up the two plates, quickly washed and dried them, and placed them away. He climbed back upstairs to brush his teeth and wash his face. He looked into the mirror and noticed that his black eye wasn't as bad as it had been yesterday but he figured that it would still take a while for it to disappear.

_Well at least it makes me look more rugged…right?_

He walked out of the bathroom and into his room to gather his usual adventure equipment. He slipped on his backpack and his bear hat, and made his way downstairs to retrieve his sword. After sheathing his sword, he grabbed a pen and a piece of paper to write down what he needed to buy.

_Well we need four new chairs, two small end tables, a new stool, and we may also need a new kitchen table as well. Actually, I might as well buy all new **everything** while I'm at it. We could definitely use new stuff._

Finn balled up the piece of paper and shot it into the trash basket, pumping a fist when it landed inside. He remembered that he had made himself a sandwich to eat later in the day and grabbed it from the fridge, placing it in a brown sack along with a cold soda. He climbed downstairs into the entryway and reached into his backpack to pull out a small red sack that he used to carry gold and jewels. He gave it a shake, noticing how light it was, and kneeled down to fill it from their loot stash. Their stash had grown back significantly after they had decided to spend it all at Wildberry Kingdom, several years ago. As he began to clear dungeons more often, he was able to replenish their stores of gold a lot faster than expected. He grabbed a handful of anything that looked valuable and threw it into the bag until it was full to the brim. He closed the sack and placed it back into his backpack, feeling the slight increase in weight. After making sure he wasn't missing anything, he walked out the door to begin the day.

He wandered through the grasslands for a while until he noticed that he didn't even know where he was going. He never decided where to go so he stopped to ponder it for a moment. He decided, after several minutes, that if he was going to buy new furniture he wanted to get the best he could get.

_Now where can I buy the best furniture? If only I could ask someone who knew about furnishing houses. Hmm…_

His face lit up when he found the answer he was looking for. "I'll ask the little House People!" Finn said aloud.

He made his way towards their village and wondered how they were doing. He walked up a large hill and looked down to see multiple tiny houses ahead. He made his way toward them when he saw a familiar grass ogre lying down in a patch of tall grass.

"Hey Donny. What's up?"

"Oh, hey jerk-face. What do you want?" Donny replied, sitting up.

"Nothing, I just came by to talk to these little guys down here." Finn explained as he pointed to the House People.

"Lame people hanging out with even lamer people. Figures."

"Jeez man, would it kill you to try being a little nicer?" Finn asked.

Donny gave him a glare. "No, but your little buddies down there would become wolf-bait if I did, right?"

Finn sighed, remembering how their whole village had almost been wiped out by Why-wolves when Donny suddenly stopped being his usual jerk-self, thanks to him and Jake. Apparently, Donny's jerkiness is so profound that it creates a cloud of Obnoxygen that is fatal to any Why-wolves who inhale it. Since they turned him into a nice fellow, the Why-wolves had a field day with the village. They had to mock and make fun of him until he reverted back to being a jerk, thus saving the village. Although he torments and berates the House People, they have no other choice but to put up with him, unless of course they want to suffer another Why-wolf attack.

"Whatever dude, I'll see you later." Finn said as turned back toward the village.

"Later, Finn the Idiot." Donny replied as he lay back down.

As Finn wandered into the middle of the village, he was greeted by the police officer who also wore the jail as his house. "Hello Finn. What brings you around these parts?"

Finn squat down next to him, "I just wanted to ask you guys a quick question. Where can I go to buy the best furniture around here?"

The officer hummed thoughtfully. "Well there used to be a carpenter here, but he moved back east. You could try heading to the Crafty Forest. There is a small band of wood elves who live there and that's where we usually get our houses replaced if we ever lose one."

"I've never heard of that forest. Can you draw me a map to show me how to get there?" Finn pulled out a small journal and a pencil from his backpack.

"Sure thing." The officer drew him the map and gave him basic directions.

Finn thanked him and followed the map for almost an hour until he finally found the forest the officer had been talking about. He walked into the forest, amazed by the large trees that stretched far above him. He looked for the landmarks the officer had told him to watch out for, knowing that they would eventually lead him to the secluded camp. He passed the withered forked tree, walked by the creepy misty cave, and found the butt-shaped rock. As he walked ahead, he heard the distinct sounds of a hammer in action. He neared a clearing and found the small settlement.

Crouching in the bushes, he watched the elves go about their business, completely unaware of the human observer. They appeared like most of the humanoid species in Ooo. They were slightly smaller than Finn, with a brown skin tone and pointed ears. Other than that, they didn't have any other distinct features or marks. Their homes, however, were a whole different story. They were elegant and finely crafted, making Finn wonder how long it took them to construct such masterpieces. He knew just by looking at their houses that this was definitely the place to buy his furniture since the houses alone could have belonged to an art gallery. He shifted his gaze to what seemed to be the center grounds. There were several elves crafting different pieces of woodwork, working with such speed and precision that Finn could almost see the objects being created before his very eyes. He had never heard of these skilled carpenters and craftsmen and wondered how long they have lived here in seclusion.

Finn stood up to get a better view but was alerted to something behind him by a slight rustling of leaves. He reached for his sword but immediately stopped when he felt the cold steel blade of a dagger press against his throat. Finn stood in place, careful not to provoke the individual who had his life in his/her hands. A stern male voice called out to him from behind, "What business do you have here, stranger?"

Finn swallowed the lump in his throat and answered, "I-I'm here to buy furniture, sir. I didn't mean to alarm anyone or cause worry. I was just amazed by your village and I couldn't help but admire your skill."

"You're not planning on raiding our village are you? If you lie to me I won't hesitate to gut you like a fish." The voice behind him replied.

"I swear on my honor as Finn the Human that I will bring no harm to your village." Finn put a hand on his chest and raised one in the air, trying to seem as harmless as possible.

"Finn the Human? Where have I heard that name before?" A few seconds passed before the stranger spoke again, "Oh, you must be the so called 'champion' of Ooo. The Candy Kingdom's royal knight, am I correct?"

Finn felt the pressure against his throat lessen a bit, but he wouldn't relax until he could see his interrogator's face. "Yes! Yes that's me alright."

_Although I don't consider myself Bubblegum's knight anymore, I'm just there to lend a helping hand every now and then._

"I have heard many great things about you, hero of Ooo. Is it true that you cast down the Lich as the legendary Billy once did?"

"Well, in a way, I guess I did." Finn answered.

This seemed to satisfy the man behind him and he pulled the dagger away from Finn's throat, allowing him to turn and face him. Finn let out a breath, relieved, and offered his hand to shake, surprising the elf who had just moments ago threatened to gut him like a fish. He shook Finn's hand and looked him up and down, studying him. "You really are a human, aren't you?" asked the elf.

"Uh, yeah."

"Interesting. My name is Jeff, nice to meet you." He gave Finn a smile.

Finn smiled back, glad that he didn't wind up dead over some furniture. "Nice to meet you too, Jeff. I visited the House People and they told me that this was the place to go when it came to furniture."

"We replace their homes for them whenever they break beyond repair or grow out of them. We have told them before to never give away our location but they must have sufficient trust in you to send you here. I will allow you to enter but be warned Finn, if you endanger my village in any way, I will not hesitate to end your life. Do you understand me?" Jeff pointed the dagger at Finn's chest.

"Yeah man, you won't get any problems from me, I swear." Finn gave him the most promising smile he could muster.

"Very well then, follow me." Jeff said as he walked out of the bushes.

Finn followed him, staying close to his side, and he could feel eyes staring at him from every direction. They walked into what seemed to be the main grounds and sat down at a table. A small crowd had gathered to gawk at this rare visitor with blue eyes and Finn stared back, just as intrigued. Jeff pulled out a small notepad and a pen and coughed, trying to get Finn's attention. "So what did you want to order?"

Finn turned back to him and let out a small laugh. "Well to be honest, I kinda wanted to replace all of the furniture in the kitchen and living room of my tree house."

Jeff put down his pen and stared at him. "**_All_** of the furniture? Well can you at least tell me what it is that you need?"

As Finn gave him his mental list, Jeff wrote down the order and repeated it to him. After taking several minutes to confirm and finish the order, Jeff took a few moments to calculate everything.

"It'll take us several hours to complete your order if we get everyone to pitch in to help move things along faster." Jeff stated. "Since we don't have enough wood on hand, some of us will have to go out into the forest to cut down some more while everyone else gets started using the wood we do have right now."

"Cool. I have one question, though. How do you plan on moving all that furniture to my tree house?" Finn asked, puzzled.

"When we deliver to the House People we usually use one of our giant eagles to drop off the house. We'll load up all of the pieces in a big net this time around so we can deliver it in one trip."

Finn really wanted to see one of their giant eagles in action. "That sounds algebraic!"

Jeff got up and began barking orders to the small crowd and Finn watched as they thinned out, each with their own job to do. "Before this gets any further, you do have the coin to pay for all this right?" Jeff asked.

Finn reached around to his backpack and pulled out the red sack containing his gold. "Well how much is it going to be?"

Jeff waved his hand when Finn offered him the sack. "That's not my area of expertise. You have to go talk to Anna about that since she is the one who handles the prices and anything else that deals with money. She is the old lady who is sitting in that rocking chair, the one who has been staring at you since you got here. Just hand her this ticket and she'll handle the rest." Jeff said as he handed him a slip of paper.

Finn turned to where Jeff was pointing and saw the old lady on the front porch of an even older looking house. Sure enough, the old lady was staring straight at Finn, her gaze never wavering even as Finn stared back. Jeff walked off, probably to shout out more orders, leaving Finn to make his way toward the lady. He was starting to feel a little odd as he felt her eyes track his every movement, and he even moved side to side to see if she followed. He arrived in front of her patio and slowly climbed up the steps, paying attention to the little details of the person rocking in front of him. She was a small lady whose legs barely touched the floor as she rocked back and forth. She had grey hair and her ears were slightly drooped, but her eyes reflected the youth that she once had. She smiled at him as he stopped in front of her, "Hello child, how may I help you today?"

Finn smiled back. "I placed an order with Jeff and he told me to pay here, so here I am." Finn handed her the ticket.

She took the ticket and squinted her eyes as she reviewed the order. "Well that is quite the purchase isn't it?" She looked up into the air as she added invisible numbers in her head. "Very well, the total cost will be two-hundred and thirty two gold pieces." She said as she held out her hand, as if all the gold coins would all fit in it.

Finn kneeled and placed the sack on his knee, holding it with his left hand and reaching in with his right. He grabbed a handful of treasure and placed it in her hand, his hand slightly touching hers. "I'm not really sure how much this is but-" Finn stopped mid-sentence when he saw a tremble run across the old lady's body. She drew in a quick breath and her eyes grew wide as she focused on the human.

"Anna, are you okay? Is something wrong?" Finn asked as he dropped the gold coins he was holding in an effort to check on her.

He grasped her hand in both of his, eliciting another shock throughout her body, and he immediately let her go. He looked at his hands, not sure what was going on, and noticed the peculiar thorn in the palm of his right hand. It had been a long time since he had last seen it, and he was tempted to touch it but remembered how much it hurt the last time he had tried to remove it. He never figured out why it had appeared, he only remembered seeing it for the first time when his right arm grew back that fateful night. He looked up when Anna cleared her throat, getting his attention.

"Let me see your hand, child." Finn lifted his right hand, palm up, and gave Anna a worried look. "Now, no matter what happens, please do not retract your hand, understand?" Finn simply nodded in acknowledgment.

Anna cupped her hands around his, closed her eyes and began to tremble, drawing in quick breaths. Finn began to worry when they didn't stop and was contemplating whether or not to pull back his hand when she suddenly relaxed. Her body became still and he could hear whispers coming from her mouth. He couldn't understand what she was saying but there was definitely a sort of rhythm to her words, almost chant-like. Her hands worked their way up his arm an inch at a time and she stopped just below his shoulder. She opened her eyes and slowly placed several fingers around the thorn, grasping it gently. As her chant neared its end, she quickly pulled the thorn from his hand as Finn let out a small yelp, rubbing the spot where the thorn had once been. She released his hand and studied the small thorn as Finn stared in amazement.

"So, what exactly just happened?" Finn asked, confused.

"It seems that the transformation is now complete. That arm now truly belongs to you, it is has fused with your body, Finn." Anna explained as she pocketed the thorn.

Finn gave her a strange look when she did. "You're not going to use that for some freaky spell are you?"

Anna laughed, "Of course not my dear. Rather, this could be used to revive one of our most sacred trees. I'm sure you may have passed an old forked tree on the way here, right?"

"Yeah I did. What's so special about that tree?" Finn asked.

"Well to put it in simple terms, it is the oldest tree in the forest and using this," she held up the thorn, "we can restore its presence within the forest. It helps the other trees in the forest grow faster."

"Oh cool, cool. Glad to know that you aren't going to use it for some evil spell or curse." Finn said with a relieved voice. He kneeled down again to pick up the gold he dropped and felt a weird sensation crawl up his right arm. It went away as quickly as it appeared and Finn just shrugged it off. "How much did I owe you again?" Finn asked when he finished picking up the scattered gold.

"Oh no dear, this thorn more than pays for the furniture you ordered so consider it paid. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some things I have to tend to. It was a pleasure doing business with you Finn." Anna got up and shook Finn's hand before walking into her house.

Finn deposited the gold back into the sack and placed it in his backpack. He looked at his palm where the thorn used to be and wondered what had really happened.

_She said that my arm is now 'truly' mine and that it had fused with my body. What did she mean by that? Maybe I should have asked her._

Finn walked down the steps and searched for Jeff to let him know that everything was paid off. Once Jeff was informed, the real work started and Finn watched for several hours as his soon to be furniture was crafted in front of him. It was quite the sight to see how much work it took just to craft a simple stool. Each elf had their separate job and they performed it with such ease that Finn felt like he could craft something himself. The sun hung lower in the sky as the stack of furniture only grew higher and eventually Jeff walked up to him to give him a progress report.

"We've got pretty much everything finished already, just got a few more to complete." Jeff groaned as he sat down next to the young human. "Man my hands are killing me. Well whenever you are ready we can start loading up our eagle to get this stuff going on its way to your house. Where is it, by the way?"

"I live in a giant tree house in the middle of the grasslands, it's pretty hard to miss." Finn said as he got up.

"Giant tree in the grasslands, got it." Jeff confirmed as he tried to get up but couldn't and he gratefully accepted Finn's hand as he pulled him up. "Alright Finn, all I have to do is tell the eagle keeper where its at and she can do the rest. What do you plan on doing next?"

Finn gazed at the setting sun, missing his home after being gone for most of the day. "I think I'm going to head home then. I still need to get the furniture in place before my bro gets home."

"You can always spend the night here. We usually don't allow outsiders to stay but I like you enough that I would feel bad if you got eaten by a werewolf on the way home."

"No way homie. Nothings gonna get the drop on me, especially with this bad boy." Finn said as he pointed his thumb to the sword on his back.

"Well I guess this is goodbye then. Take care of yourself Finn." Jeff held out his hand and Finn clasped it. "You too, Jeff."

Finn took his leave and made it to the edge of the forest when he heard a loud whistle. He glanced back and saw Jeff jogging toward him with a torch in hand. "I thought you might need this since its already getting dark."

Finn took the torch and thanked him, looking back only once as he left the secluded village. He silently thanked Jeff again, glad that he didn't have to trek through the forest in complete darkness. Although there was a full moon out, the moon's light never broke through the forest canopy, so until he exited the forest, he would have to rely on the torch for light. He was having trouble finding the landmarks so he decided to take a quick break. As soon as he sat down his stomach grumbled, and he realized that he was long overdue for his next meal. He slipped off his backpack and reached inside to draw out the brown bag holding his meal. Gathering a few sticks and dried leaves into a pile, he lit up a small campfire with his torch and sat back down on a fallen log to enjoy his meal. The soda was a little warm and the sandwich bread was slightly droopy but he let out a satisfied burp nonetheless. He threw the paper bag into the fire and watched it be consumed by the flames, but he had to look away when it started to remind him too much of his fiery nightmare.

"Its time to get out of here." Finn said as he kicked dirt onto the fire, smothering it. He gave it a few stomps for good measure and slipped his backpack back on, comforted by its familiar weight. Grabbing his torch, he navigated his way out of the forest without incident, well almost. When he had passed by the misty cave he heard a loud growl that sent him scurrying on his way, but other than that it was a pretty boring walk through the woods. Finn was bathed in moonlight as he stepped through the forest's edge and into the fringes of the grasslands. He threw his torch to the ground and put it out, then started to backtrack his way to the little House People's village. He listened to the nightlife stir around him as their day, or night, barely began. A nocturnal melody arose from all the sounds circulating around him, fighting for dominance in his ears. A sudden screech pierced the sky, startling Finn, and it caused him to look up. A massive eagle soared high above him, carrying a large net loaded with his furniture as it flew toward his house to make its delivery.

_I hope I can get everything in order before Jake gets back. It's going to be a long night…_

Finn eventually made it to the valley in which the little houses resided and decided to stop by to thank the officer before he went home. Another loud screech caught Finn's attention and he looked up but found no eagle. When he heard it again he realized that it wasn't a screech, but rather a blood-curdling scream. Finn's blood ran cold as adrenaline flooded his system, prepping him for the possible engagement to come. He drew his sword and ran into the valley, expecting to see the House People under attack or in peril, but his sword lowered to the ground when he realized that he was already too late.

Vacant houses littered the floor, broken and shattered, with whatever was left of their owners scattered among them. Dark stains covered the houses and floor, testament to the slaughter beforehand. Finn walked amongst the ruins in disbelief, not able to accept the fact that they were all dead when he had just visited them mere hours ago. His hands tightened around the handle of his sword as his anger grew, building up to be released upon the murderers when he found them.

_What in Grod's name could have done this?_

He walked up to the only remaining house that was still partially intact and searched it for clues. He found a large fang embedded in the chimney of the small house and he pulled it out to further inspect it. It was large, definitely made to pierce easily through flesh and the only conclusion Finn could make was that it probably belonged to a Why-wolf.

_Why would Why-wolves risk an attack if Donny is always around creating Obnoxygen?_

A slight whimper caught his attention and he slowly paced the grounds until another one drew him to a field of tall grass. He neared the source and was shocked to find a survivor huddled in the grass. He ran up to the individual and laid his sword on the ground to hold the victim. The little person let out a small squeal as Finn wrapped his arms around them to bring them into the light to check on their condition. When the light shone on the woman in front of him, Finn realized how badly wounded she was. She had two raw claw marks running down her face and several bite wounds along her limbs and Finn could feel her warm blood trickle down his arms. Her breathing was labored and Finn didn't know how long she had or if he could even save her but he knew he had to at least do something. He decided to get her to talk in an attempt to keep her from slipping into unconsciousness.

"Hey, hey look, its okay, I've got you now." Finn told her in his most soothing voice. "Can you tell me your name? I'm Finn."

She tried to speak but ended up coughing up blood and Finn pulled the rag from his backpack to wipe off her mouth. Finn gave her a couple seconds to get her breath back and waited for her to try again.

"I'm Natalie, are…are you Finn the Human?" She looked up and noticed the outline of his signature bear hat against the night sky. "You are, aren't you? Oh, oh thank Glob." She began to cry when she realized who had shown up to rescue her.

"Yeah Natalie, its me, Finn. I know it's rather sudden, but can you tell me what happened? Do you know if anyone else made it?"

Natalie closed her eyes for a bit, tears streaming down her face, and she took a long breath. "It was sometime in the evening when we heard a commotion a little ways away from our village. The mayor and officer Kenny went to investigate and when they returned they were rather shaken by what they had found." Natalie coughed again, more blood spilling out of her mouth. Finn wiped her mouth again and wished there was something he could do.

_She isn't going to last much longer._

"They didn't say much at first but eventually they made an announcement that Donny had been killed by someone who they had seen leaving the area but couldn't identify. They told us to look out for a large figure clad in maroon armor carrying a black sword and that we should alert officer Kenny immediately if spotted. We were shocked that someone had killed Donny but not surprised that it happened. We reasoned that he had angered someone with his usual antics and that they had come back to unleash their anger."

Finn's breath caught in his throat when she described the figure and realized that it sounded eerily close to the Finn he met in his nightmare, black sword being the similar characteristic.

_Then again it was just a large figure in maroon armor that happened to be carrying a black sword. That could have been anyone, right?_

Finn's gut didn't agree though, it was giving him a whole other feeling. "Is that who did this to you?"

"No Finn, but I have a feeling that they knew what would happen if they killed Donny. As soon as the sun went down and the moon rose in the sky we were set upon by Why-wolves. We didn't stand a chance but we did our best to fight them off, trying to buy time for others to escape. However, as soon as someone split off from the group they were quickly taken down. I was the only one left and…" Natalie's eyes were drooping, getting a reaction from Finn.

"Natalie! Come on, stay with me." He patted her cheek to try to get her back to him and Natalie responded with a few coughs.

"Do…you have any water?" She whispered.

"Um, let me check." He gently laid her down and scooted back to bring his backpack down in front of him. He opened it and rummaged inside for anything she could drink but was disappointed when he found nothing. He slipped his backpack back on and gave her a sad look. "Sorry Nat-" Finn was interrupted by a loud rustle in the grass and Natalie was suddenly grabbed by a Why-wolf and dragged into the tall grass field.

"NATALIE!" Finn shouted as he grabbed his sword and chased after the wolf through the grassy maze. "Let go of her you animal!"

"Noooo!" Natalie screamed as she was dragged farther and farther away from the human. "Finn, save me!"

Finn pounded through the field as fast as he could, trying desperately not to lose the wolf in the tall grass but after several twists and turns Finn's heart dropped when he realized that he was lost. The wolf was just too fast.

_No! I **refuse** to give up!_

Finn ran in the first direction he could think of, pushing himself as fast as his legs could take him. "Natalie! Where are you?"

"Finn!" she called out from somewhere nearby.

He stopped and tried to listen for her voice since trying to see through the tall grass was impossible. His heart beat rapidly in his chest and against his eardrums as he took in huge breaths, eyes trying desperately to find any source of movement among the swaying grass.

"Finn, please! I don't want to die!" There was a loud crunch followed by a gurgling sound that lasted only a few seconds.

Finn knew what had happened and knew that it was too late to save poor Natalie. Finn fell to his knees and could only listen as the rustling in the grass disappeared, the Why-wolf no doubt running off with its meal secured. He slammed his fists on the ground over and over again in a fit of rage as he blamed himself for not being there when they needed him the most. Minutes passed until Finn finally exhausted himself and he got up to make his way out of the field. He sheathed his sword and looked down at himself, covered in Natalie's blood, and swore that he would eradicate the Why-wolves no matter how long it took. Although Finn never liked to kill something unless it was necessary, or evil, there was no way he would ever be able to forgive the Why-wolves for the atrocity they committed today.

As he pushed his way through the grass he heard a loud buzzing sound a couple of meters away from him and he went to investigate. He arrived and found Donny's lifeless body swarmed by flies. He had been cut almost in half and he had deep thrust wounds in his chest, painted a dark green in Donny's blood. The hero quickly looked away, tired of seeing all of the death and destruction around him.

_You may have been a jerk, but you definitely didn't deserve this…_

Finn eventually made his way back out into the grasslands and headed home, wondering if he would get any sleep tonight. He walked up to his tree house and saw the large net the eagle had been carrying earlier sitting on the front lawn. He let out a sigh when he remembered that he still had to bring in the furniture.

_Man, screw that. I'll just do it tomorrow and if Jake asks I'll just tell him some bogus story, I'm sure he'll believe me._

He walked inside the house and went upstairs to ready himself for a shower. After hanging up his backpack and hat and placing the freshly cleaned sword on its wall mount, he walked into the bathroom to clean himself up. Finn let the water run for a bit until it was warm and stepped inside the shower, letting its warm embrace take his mind off of the scene he had witnessed. He leaned forward with his hands against the wall as the water sprayed directly onto his blond hair, plastering it to his face. The young man watched as water mixed with Natalie's blood flowed down the drain, coloring it a reddish brown. Finn washed himself, scrubbing his arms extra hard, and finished his shower. He dried off his body and then wrapped the towel around his waist as he shuffled back into his room.

He changed into his pajamas and threw away his bloodied clothes. As he lay down in his comfy bed, he felt a hard object beneath him and he drew back the animal skins to find a sleeping Beemo underneath. He gave him a small smile and gently picked his friend up and moved him to the side a bit so that they would both fit on the bed. Drawing the covers up past his head, he willed himself to sleep, trying hard to block out the images of death and destruction that slowly crept into his head.


	4. Chapter 4

The sound of objects getting moved around downstairs woke Finn from his slumber. There were several bangs and loud crashing noises as Finn slowly rose from bed, rubbing his weary eyes. He gave a little wince as he brushed the bruise on his right eye and he patted the fur skins next to him to see if Beemo was still asleep but found nothing there. He heard another loud crash, drawing his attention back downstairs. "Jake, is that you?" He waited a couple moments and tried again when there was no response. "Jake!"

Jake's head came stretching into the room, giving Finn a big smile. "Sup man! Still in your jammies?"

"What are you doing down there? Sounds like you're having a smash party without me dude. You know you can't have a smash party without your brotha right?" Finn crossed his arms.

"Nah, I was just tossing out our old furniture. Somebody left a whole load of furniture in front of our house and ours looked pretty raggedy so I decided to make the swap." Jake said.

Finn just went along with it, even though he was the one who purchased the furniture. "That's awesome! I wonder who left it outside though?"

"Who cares, it belongs to us now since it was left in front of our house. Finders keepers losers weepers." Jake stretched back downstairs.

Finn walked over to the ladder. "You need any help Jake?" he called down.

"Um, no, not really. I started earlier and I just finished setting everything up already. These new pieces are really nice man. They look like they belong in a fancy castle or something."

"Where did you put our old stuff?"

"I just threw it out the window. I didn't realize how beat up it all was. It was almost as if it was all thrown around and stuff."

Finn gave a little, guilty laugh. "Ah, it was probably time to replace them anyways. We should burn it all and have a giant bonfire!" A fist stretched upstairs and Finn bumped it.

"That sounds like a great idea! We can invite PB, Lady and Marcy, if she'll even show up. We'll cook up some smores and we can tell scary stories when it gets dark." Jake let out a creepy laugh as he climbed up the ladder. "I can tell the one about the time I saw Ice King clipping his toe nails."

"Aw dude, no! That's not scary, that's gross." Finn walked off into the bathroom.

"Hey, maybe if Marceline comes we can play Truth or Dare again, or maybe PB will be the lucky lady tonight." Jake said as Finn left.

Finn could hear smooching noises as he closed the bathroom door and just shook his head. Jake's laughter faded away when he turned on the water and he felt invigorated when he splashed himself with cold water. He brushed his teeth and combed his hair, even if the hat would mess his hair up anyways. He walked out of the bathroom, refreshed, and changed into his normal attire, minus the hat, and jumped downstairs. He did a couple backflips and walked over to the fridge to grab something for breakfast.

_Eggs, pickles, leftover pizza, ice cream, milk, a slice of Tree Trunk's apple pie, ham, cheese, orange juice and a cake._

Finn grabbed the milk and the slice of apple pie and set them down at the brand new kitchen table. He got a cup and a fork and sat down at the table, pouring himself a glass of milk. "Whoa man, these chairs are super comfortable." Finn stood up and sat down again, marveling at how he almost seemed to sink into the chair.

Jake sat down in one of the chairs next to him. "Yeah man my butt just sinks into them. Aren't these made out of wood, though? Maybe it's _**magical**_ wood."

"Mahbyee." Finn said with a full mouth. Finn quickly finished the pie and noticed that Jake wasn't eating. "You gonna eat breakfast?"

"Lady made me breakfast before I left so I'm still pretty full. Besides, I have to watch my figure." He morphed his body into that of a curvy lady, taking a few steps as a model would. "Its not easy looking this good all the time."

Finn laughed, "Yeah you're right Jake, it'd be a shame if you lost all your curves."

Jake shrunk down to his regular size. "Heh heh, the only curve I need is this one." He said as he rubbed his belly.

"And these are the only curves I need." Finn got up and started flexing his biceps, showing off with various poses.

Jake flexed his biceps and several more came out of those in a tall stack. Finn let out a huff, "That's not fair."

Their house phone rang suddenly and Finn went over to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hi Finn. What are you up to?"

"Oh hey PB, Jake and I were just messing around. What's up?" Finn replied.

"If you aren't busy I wanted to talk to you and Jake about something important. Some things are happening around Ooo that are starting to worry me and I wanted to discuss it with you guys." Bubblegum explained.

"Sure thing Prubs, we'll head over in a bit."

"Thanks Finn, I'll let Pep know you're coming. Bye."

Finn hung up and turned to Jake, "Looks like we're going to the Candy Kingdom."

"Do we have to? I kinda just wanted to stay home and play videogames all day." Jake gave him a pleading look.

"PB said it was important Jake. When we get back we can play whatever you want." Finn said, trying to persuade his brother.

"Alright man but only because its important. We can also invite her to the bonfire while we're at it." Jake made his way to the entryway stairs and glanced back, "I'll be outside whenever you're ready. Just don't take too long."

Finn quickly climbed upstairs to retrieve his gear.

_Hat: check. Backpack: check. Sword: check._

He was about to leave when he decided to take his phone as well. He opened the backpack to place the phone inside and found the rag he had used to clean Natalie's mouth with. The dried blood was a dark maroon and when Finn took it out the rag was completely hard. He quickly threw it away and stuffed his phone inside, struggling to make the phone fit. He felt something well up inside of him and he was becoming a little irritated when the phone refused to take its place within the bag. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying hard to stifle the rising emotions brought on by a simple rag. After a few deep breaths he felt himself level out and he moved a few things around in the bag so the phone would fit. He closed it and made his way downstairs and outside to where an impatient Jake was waiting.

"What took you so long?" Jake asked.

"I just had some stuff in my backpack I had to get rid of. I really have to clean it out one of these days." Finn told him as they began to walk toward the Candy Kingdom.

The sun slowly rose above them as they enjoyed their leisurely stroll. "So how did your date with Lady Rainicorn go?" Finn asked.

"It went great. The meteor, I mean, food shower was awesome. She loved the picnic and the serenade too so I call that a pretty successful date." Jake answered, giving him a grin.

"I saw something pretty cool that night too. It looked like the stars were falling out of the sky. I've never seen anything like it before."

Jake gave him a weird look. "Dude, that was the food shower. There were a bunch of lights in the sky, right?"

Finn scratched his head. "Wait, what? Really?" Finn hadn't realized that it was the food shower he had seen that night.

"Yeah man." Jake said as he patted him in the back.

A strong, cool breeze began blowing in, bringing the faint scent of cotton candy along with it. They were nearing the Cotton Candy forest and as they entered Finn noticed that all the holes and debris from the troll battle were gone. Jake looked up at Finn. "Hey isn't this where we fought that giant troll a couple days ago? I'm almost sure that this place was trashed up after we chased it off."

"PB probably sent some workers to clean the mess up. She likes to keep her stuff nice and tidy, well, most of the time." Finn said as he reached up and grabbed a handful of cotton candy to snack on.

They walked up to the candy gates and greeted the banana guards on duty, giving them high fives as they entered the castle grounds. The roads were packed with candy people today. Street vendors were selling products, candy people made their way to and from work, and several candy workers were unloading large crates from a small truck.

Jake's head moved side to side as he saw all the busy people around him. "It looks extra busy today, I wonder what's going on?"

"I have no idea." Finn commented, as he observed the flurry of activity.

The large candy palace sat before them as they walked up the steps and opened the large doors. The inside was bustling with people as servants, workers and guards passed to and fro through the palace interior. Finn scanned the interior looking for Princess Bubblegum but she was nowhere to be found. They walked forward into the crowd and Jake made himself taller to look over all the shifting bodies.

"Dude, I don't see her anywhere." Jake said from above.

"Well she didn't tell me where to meet her." Finn spotted Manfried the Talking Piñata and shuffled his way through the crowd to speak with him.

"Yo Manfried! Have you seen PB?" Finn shouted up to the hanging piñata.

"No Finn, I'm not sure where she is at the moment, but Peppermint butler is over there if you want to ask him." Manfried pointed one of his little legs in the opposite direction.

"Thanks, but where exactly is he?" Finn had no idea where he was pointing.

Manfried pointed to the same direction again. "I said he was over there."

"No I meant…never mind. Thanks anyways Manfried." Finn gave him a small wave and left to find Jake.

As he waded into the crowd again a yellow foot stretched in next to him, the rest of Jake following a second after. "Any luck bud?"

"Not really, I tried asking Manfried and he said he hadn't seen her but he said Pep was around here somewhere." Finn responded.

"Well let's find him and get this over with." Jake got under Finn and stretched himself high above the crowd, almost touching the ceiling.

Finn searched the mass of bodies, trying to spy the familiar red and white of the candy butler they were looking for. After a few moments Jake pointed down to one of the candy people and Finn recognized the little mint. Finn gave him a nod and they descended next to Pep as he was talking to one of the staff.

"…don't have enough batter but just make it happen. I'll try to get another shipment in as soon as I can but I can't promise that it will get here in time for the event. Do what you can with what you have now." Pep heard them land behind him and peeked over his shoulder to see who it was. He dismissed the candy chef and turned to offer a greeting. "Hey guys, as you can see it's pretty busy right now, with the party being only a day away. I'll go ahead and take you straight to the princess."

"What party?" Finn asked, confused.

Pep started walking away, not having heard his question and they simply followed. As they walked deeper into the palace they passed the kitchen and caught a peek inside when one of the cooks opened the door to step inside. There was a large amount of food being organized and prepared for temporary storage. They walked down a hallway that took them into one of the larger wings of the palace and Finn noticed that one of the large, formal rooms used for various meetings and princess gatherings was being decorated. There were many round tables draped in red and the chairs had red bows attached to the back of them. Large speakers were set up around the room and a large podium sat near the back of the room. Finn wasn't able to see anything else as Pep escorted them, rather hurriedly, to the room PB was in. The door was open and PB was sitting at a table shuffling through a stack of papers, wearing her usual pink dress.

Pep gave her a slight bow when she saw them coming through the door. "Princess, Finn and Jake have arrived."

"Hi PB." Finn and Jake both greeted. They gave each other a weird look.

Bubblegum gave them a small smile. "Thanks for stopping by guys."

"I shall take my leave now princess for there is still much to be done." Pep gave her another bow, waiting to be dismissed.

"Very well then, please make sure all preparations are completed on time."

"Of course, princess." Pep left the room to continue his duties.

Finn and Jake sat down across the table. "So what's the matter? Why did you need to see us?" Finn asked.

"Well I've been receiving reports of various violent acts occurring across Ooo. Bad things happen, you of all people should know, but never this often. Usually its one or two events per week or even per month but according to these reports it seems like random acts of violence are happening almost on a daily basis. Forests are being destroyed, several kingdoms have had gold robbed from their treasuries, the Duke of Nuts and his family were attacked by brigands and thankfully their guards were able to drive them away and all the other things listed in these papers." She lifted the stack of papers and let them fall all over the table. Running a hand through her gummy hair, she stood up and stretched her legs, tired from sitting down for so long.

Finn grabbed several of the reports and skimmed through them. "Well how come I'm only hearing about this now? Why hasn't anybody asked us for help?"

"I haven't heard any of this either." Jake added.

"Well the problem is that nobody has reported them until now. Apparently, there has been a steady increase in the past couple of weeks but we didn't notice because everyone believed they were separate incidences. It was only when all the princesses got together last week to speak about the royal ball that news of the incidences spread. It was Jungle Princess who brought it to our general attention and then from there on we realized these 'separate' incidences weren't so separate after all." She leaned on one of the chairs and looked at Finn, waiting for a question or response.

Finn skimmed through another handful of reports and wondered why he didn't notice it sooner.

_First the giant mountain troll, then the evil ocean somehow being revived and then with what happened to the House People yesterday…and Natalie. I should have been more alert to what was happening around us._

Finn turned to his brother. "Well it looks like we'll have to be on high alert every day from now on, Jake."

"Aw man, so much for playing videogames all day." Jake said, disappointed.

Finn put an arm around his shoulder. "Come on, what's more fun than beating up bad guys?"

Jake crossed his arms. "Well I could name a few things."

Bubblegum walked across the room to look at a calendar that was hanging on the wall. One of the dates was circled in red ink. "I'm mostly worried about something happening on the day of the royal ball. We want to make sure that everyone gets to and from the ball safely."

"What's this 'royal ball' you and Pep keep talking about? Is it an important object?" Finn asked, curious.

PB gave Finn a weird look. "No dummy, it's the royal ball that I told you about last weekend. The royal ball is a formal gathering of Ooo royalty that usually involves food, dancing and loud music. We have them at least once every ten years and this time it's being held here at the palace. You didn't forget about it, did you?" PB put a hand on her hip as she waited for Finn to answer.

Finn glanced at Jake and only received a shrug from the dog. "Oh yeah, the royal ball, no of course I didn't forget about it." Finn rubbed the back of his head and tried to act cool, failing miserably.

Bubblegum raised an eyebrow when she caught his lie. "Finn, you're so obvious. Well it'll be the day after tomorrow so you better not forget to come." She walked over to the calendar and pointed to the circled date for emphasis. "And the same goes for you too, Jake."

"Don't worry about it princess, we'll be there. What time does it start and what do we have to wear?" Jake asked.

"It's a royal gathering so wear something formal but don't forget that there is going to be dancing so it has to comfortable as well. As for the time, we have several festivities and a reception before the actual ball so you can choose when to come but the ball starts at seven-o-clock." She turned to look at Finn, staring intently at his face.

"Huh? Is there something on my face?" Finn rubbed a hand across his mouth in case he had some left over pie stuck to it.

"Maybe you should see if you could do something about that eye, Finn. You can use some of your Cyclops tears to heal it, right?"

He had forgotten how he would look if he showed up to a fancy party with a big bruise on his face. "Actually, we ran out of it already."

"Well I have been working on an experimental drug that could help wi-"

"Ah, no, that's okay princess, I'll just make another run for some more. I still have a day anyways." Finn interrupted.

Bubblegum shrugged her shoulders. "If you say so. Well, that's all I had to talk to you about. If anything else develops I'll be sure to let you guys know."

Finn and Jake stood up and proceeded to leave the room, when Jake suddenly turned to ask her a question. "Hey princess, we wanted to know if you would be down to have a bonfire tonight. We have plenty of stuff to burn and we were planning on making smores and playing a couple rounds of Truth or Dare."

Bubblegum gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry Jake but with all the things going on at the moment I don't have any time to spare. Maybe once things quiet down a bit we can have those smores."

"Alright then princess, see you later." Jake said as they walked out.

"Don't worry, everything will turn out great." Finn gave her a reassuring smile.

"Bye guys, and yeah Finn, I hope so." Bubblegum gave them a small wave, listening to their footsteps slowly fade away. She sat back down at the table and collected the scattered papers, skimming through the various reports. One specific report drew her attention, _"Possible sightings of members belonging to the Guild of Assassins in various kingdoms."_ Bubblegum leaned back against the chair and looked up at the ceiling, wondering if Finn was right about not worrying.

_Well it's a lot easier to say when you don't have a whole kingdom, and everything else that comes with it, to worry about._

"I hope you're right Finn."

Finn and Jake exited the palace and as they were passing through the kingdom gates Finn looked over to his brother. "Do you think there is something going on Jake? There have been a lot of attacks recently and we've had to kick more butts than usual these past couple of weeks."

"Bubblegum is just worried because of the royal ball and all that jazz. I'm sure nothing will end up happening and everything will just settle down and go back to normal."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Finn said, wanting to believe his brother. They walked in silence until they reached the candy forest and Finn stopped to grab another handful of cotton candy.

Jake eyed him and let out a huff. "Dude, if you eat too many sweets you're gonna end up having to go to the dentist again. Don't you remember how bad your tooth hurt last time?"

Finn munched on the cotton candy as he thought about the underground ant colony that fixed teeth in exchange for combat services. The memory of fighting off giant worms was still fresh in his mind.

_Man fighting those worms had been pretty fun even though my partner Tiffany kept trying to stab me in the back. I wonder if he made it…_

"I know but I feel the need to eat something sweet for some reason, and besides I can burn this off in no time!" Finn started to run through the forest, swinging from low branches and jumping over stumps as he sped up.

"I was talking about your teeth Finn, not your thighs!" Jake yelled.

He grew into a larger size and in a few steps was already ahead of Finn. He shrunk back down when he cleared the trees and stood there waiting for Finn, pretending to be bored. Finn was nearing the edge and he leapt from a stump to reach a branch above him, grasping it with his right hand, when he suddenly felt an odd sensation crawl up his arm like the day before. He let go and fell to the ground, rolling as he landed, and lay in the dirt as he stared at his right arm. After a few moments the tingling began to recede and Finn got up to dust himself off. A concerned Jake ran up to him, "Are you alright? What happened?"

Finn tried to play it off as best he could. "Yeah Jake, I'm okay. I just slipped, that's all."

"Well that's what you get for swinging around like some crazed monkey. Now lets go home, I want to play Kompy's Kastle and try to get a higher score." Jake said as he nudged Finn forward.

"You've had the third highest score since forever, I don't think you're ever going to beat the other guys who are in first and second." Finn said as he patted him on the back.

"Don't you say that man, I **_will_** get first place one day!" Jake responded as he dramatically clenched his fists.

"If you say so." Finn reached into his backpack to pull out his phone. He dialed Marceline's number and put his ear to the receiver, waiting for her to pick up. The phone rang for almost a minute until he decided to hang up. He tried a couple more times and he put his phone away when she didn't answer.

"Who are you calling?" Jake asked as they walked farther into the grasslands.

"I was calling Marceline to see what she's up to. I don't feel like going home so I'm gonna stop by her house to say hi." Finn answered.

Jake shielded his eyes as he looked at the sun high above them. "She is probably still asleep. She'll eat you alive if she wakes up grumpy, you know how she gets."

"Don't worry, I'll just use some of my boyish charm, and if she's not home I'll just go raid a dungeon or two. I just want to do something besides being cooped up at home."

"Alright bro just make sure you don't get home too late, and if you do go dungeon crawling see if you can find me a staff that shoots lightning. I've been wanting one to add to my collection."

Finn stopped and gave his brother a fist-bump, "Word, brother. I'll bring back some sweet loot if I do."

They went their separate ways as Finn headed to Marceline's house. It was located in a cave since she preferred to be alone most of the time and Finn finally arrived after about half an hour. He walked up onto the porch of the little pink house and knocked on the door several times, waiting for a response. He stood there staring at her garden for a minute and was about to knock again when the door opened. The sleepy Vampire Queen floated before him, rubbing her eyes. She was wearing a blue tee and some baggy brown pajamas that were too long for her, the bottoms touching the floor. Her hair was a mess and she stared at him through tired eyes. She let out a yawn, fangs showing as she opened her mouth wide.

"Finn, what are you doing here?" the tired queen asked.

"Hey Marcy! I was just in the area and I thought I would stop by to say hi."

She peeked her head outside the door and looked at the very sunny day outside of the cave. "Well...hi." She started closing the door and stopped just before it closed all the way.

"Dang Marcy, that's cold."

She let out a small laugh and opened the door again. "Come in, hero. I don't feel like listening to you crying in front of my house."

Finn pumped a fist, "Awesome, and I totally wouldn't have cried." He walked inside the dark house and waited for Marcy to turn on the lights but she only lit a few candles instead. Shadows danced across the room as the little flames lit up as much of the darkness they could. The drapes were down across the windows, keeping the sunlight out. Finn walked into her living room as she floated up next to him. "I've gotta take care of some 'lady business', feel free to sit on the couch while you wait."

Finn looked at the seemingly normal couch but he knew that looks could be deceiving. That literally had to be the most uncomfortable couch in the whole world. Even the Ice King's throne felt softer and it was made out of solid ice. "No thanks, I'll just stand here while you do what you gotta do."

"Suit yourself." Marceline said as she floated upstairs to her room.

Finn walked around her house, checking out the few possessions she had. He had to move slowly since it was still relatively dark in the room but it only took him a minute for his eyes to properly adjust. He always wondered why she kept so little in her house and he figured that if you lived to be a thousand years old then eventually you would only keep the things that held a significant meaning to you. He slipped off his backpack and set it down on the sofa, placing in such a way that the sword wouldn't cut into the fabric. He could hear various muffled sounds coming from above as Marceline took care of her 'lady business', whatever that meant. He leaned against a small table as he stared at his right arm, deep in thought.

_What the heck happened in the forest? It was the same sensation that I felt after Anna took the thorn out of my palm and I bent over to pick up the gold coins, only it lasted longer this time. What if she did something wrong and it messed my arm up?_

Marceline floated down from her room and saw the frown on Finn's face. "Aw, did you miss me that much? I was only gone for a few minutes." She teased.

Finn just stared at Marceline, still lost in his thoughts. He noticed that she had changed into a pair of small black shorts and she had kept the blue shirt on. Her now smooth hair was tied back into a ponytail and she wore a pair of black slippers.

_Why does she even bother wearing slippers if she just floats around everywhere?_

His brain finally processed the fact that she had said something and he snapped out of his train of thought. "What did you say?"

Marceline sighed. "Forget it. So what's up hero? What brings you to my lair?" She floated higher into the air and lay on her stomach, looking down at the human.

"I was bored and Jake didn't feel like doing anything today so I decided to stop by to visit one of the most fun people I know."

"Oh is that why? I thought you came over to see me naked again." She said simply.

Finn felt his face get a little warm when he remembered how their little wrestling match had ended two nights ago. "Come on, I said I was sorry."

"Well your eyes sure didn't look sorry." She gave him a smile and a wink.

Finn just placed a hand to his face. "Ah jeez…"

The Vampire Queen giggled when she saw how flushed he was getting. "You're too easy Finn. So what do you want to do? You wanna jam or do you feel like getting dunked on in some basketball?"

"We haven't jammed in a while so that sounds like fun."

"Alright let me grab my bass then." Marceline floated back upstairs to retrieve her axe bass. When she came back down she noticed that Finn wasn't holding an instrument. "What are you gonna play with?"

Finn reached into his backpack and pulled out a microphone. Licking his lips, he put it up to his mouth, covering both with his hand, and began to beat-box, laying down a slow rhythm. Marceline floated next to him and strummed her bass, matching his beat. As Finn's pace increased, she followed suit, head bobbing lightly as she added her own flair to the session. Finn lowered his mike and began to rap, following Marcy's tempo.

"Uh, yeah, mhm lets go. My name is Finn; just ask me where I've been. I've got a green backpack and a cut on my shin. I be bustin out these rhymes, of that there is no doubt. I take down bad guys, make'em cry and scream and shout. I'm in a cute little house that belongs to Marceline. She's a radical dame and she's the Vampire Queen. My flow is so dope it'll straight up fry your brain. I'm here to stay just like the Ice King's armpit stains. Word."

Finn made a sizzling sound as he dropped the mike and crossed his arms. Marceline finished playing and flew next to Finn, giving him a high five. "Nice one Finn, you been practicing?"

Finn bent over to pick up the mike, "I compete in rap battles sometimes, it's pretty math."

"Cool, where at?" Marceline asked as she laid back and picked a few notes.

"Sorry Mar-Mar but I can't tell you, its pretty hush-hush." Finn placed the mike back into the backpack and turned around to see two red eyes glaring at him. Even though the candles provided a small amount of light, her eyes reflected what light there was and glowed a bright red against the dark background.

"Why do you call me Mar-Mar even though you know it annoys me? It's like you want me to kick your scrawny little butt." Her eyes grew bigger as she got closer to him.

"You know I'm just messing with you Marceline, but it is a cute nickname." Finn heard a growl and then she suddenly disappeared. Finn backed up against the wall, eyes scanning in the dark for the vampire on the prowl.

_Oh man, here we go again…_

"Hey, come on, I don't think you want to do this in your house. It's pretty cramped in here." Finn stood there for a couple seconds and flinched as his hat was plucked off of his head. "Give that back!"

The mischievous vampire reappeared in front of him but this time wearing his white bear hat. "Oh, look at me, I'm Finn the Loser. I wear a dorky little hat and kiss girls. I'm a goody-two-shoes and-" she burst out laughing, not able to contain herself any longer. She floated in place, laughing, until Finn walked over and pulled her down by the axe bass strapped on to her back.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny." He slipped the hat off of the vampire and put it back on, tucking in his blond hair.

"Thanks for the laugh Finn." She floated into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "You want something? I got apples, strawberries, ketchup, tomatoes, and a jar of cherries."

"Strawberries sound good."

"Awesome." She grabbed a handful and sucked the red from them, handing Finn the newly grey strawberries. He popped them into his mouth, savoring the fruity flavor. She studied him as he finished up the strawberries.

_When did Finn grow all of a sudden? Has he always been tall or have I just barely noticed? No, he was definitely shorter. Maybe I just haven't been paying much attention, I mean, he **is** eighteen now…_

Finn met her eyes and gave her a curious look. "What's wrong?"

She quickly broke her gaze and floated back into the living room. She turned and looked at him, "So what now? What do you want to do?"

Finn placed his hands behind his head as he thought of something to do. "Well, how about a movie?"

"I don't feel like going out to that drive-in theater, besides, didn't we get kicked out last time for letting loose a pack of wolves?"

Finn chuckled. "That's true. Well I'm out of ideas, surprisingly."

"Hmm, give me a sec…" Marceline floated upstairs and a few moments later she returned with a small stack of movies. "I've got some movies we can watch. I have The Mailman Strikes Back, Lord of the Fries, and Kill Phil Vol. 4."

"I haven't seen Kill Phil Vol. 4 yet so how about that one?"

"Ok, let me just tidy up my room real quick. I don't want you walking home with any of my panties."

"Yeah right."

She floated away to prepare her room and Finn stood there waiting for her to finish. After a few minutes she called him and he climbed up the ladder into her room. Just like downstairs, only a few candles lit the room. Marceline was already putting in the movie when Finn walked over to her bed to sit down. She pressed play and took the spot next to Finn, leaning back to rest on her elbow. Finn lay in bed watching the previews, when he noticed her long hair dangling beneath her as she floated in place next to him.

"So is this movie any good?" Finn asked.

"Yeah, I say it's better than the third one. There is even more blood and stuff." Marcy answered as she readjusted her blue shirt.

Finn stared at the blue shirt, something about it being familiar, and discovered what it was when he looked down at his own blue shirt. "You're still wearing the shirt I gave you, Marcy?"

"Yeah, I guess. It was the first thing I could find when you came knocking on my door."

"Ah, ok, cool."

"Why are your clothes this big though?" Marceline pulled on the shirt to show him how baggy it was on her.

"Well I have grown over time, I mean, that's usually what happens as you get older right? I'm not as small as I used to be."

"That's true."

They continued to watch the movie, making the occasional comments whenever there was an especially bloody scene. While they were watching it, Marceline would look at Finn out of the corner of her eye, studying him. Finn was certainly taller than the younger boy she remembered from several years ago. His face was also different, slightly more matured but still retaining its youthful qualities. His arms and legs were more muscular, probably due to his adventurous lifestyle, and even though his clothes weren't form fitting, she could tell that the rest of his body was slightly more built as well. She stared at him, lying there with his legs crossed in front of him and his hands behind his head, and her eyes grew slightly when she noticed the bulge in his shorts. She stared for a few intriguing seconds before looking away, focusing back on the movie.

_Whoa._

The movie ended in a splatter of blood, the main protagonist having finally defeated his corrupted master, and Marceline floated over to eject the movie. "So what did you think?" She asked, placing the movie back in its case.

"It was pretty good. I hope that someday I can become as great a swordsman as him." Finn got up and sat on the edge of the bed. "Well its probably time for me to go, I don't want to get home too late."

"So the weenie has a curfew, huh?"

"Yeah right, its just that there has been a lot of crazy stuff going on around Ooo and PB told us about all these attacks happening so it makes sense not to stay out too late." Finn stated, defending himself.

"You talked to Bonnibel? How is she?"

"Good, she's just worried that something might happen during the royal ball. I'm sure it'll be okay but you never know."

"That's Bonnie for you, always worrying about something." She stretched in mid-air, followed by several popping sounds.

"Are you going to the royal ball, Marcy?" Finn asked, curious.

She let out a sigh. "She sent me an invitation but its always such a drag. Last time it was at the Breakfast Kingdom and I swear that I almost died of boredom."

"You should go, it's going to be at Bubblegum's palace and I saw them setting up a bunch of speakers and stuff. Jake and I are both going so you know it won't be _**completely**_ boring." Finn gave her an encouraging smile.

Marceline enjoyed that smile a little more then she felt she should have. "Fine, but you better keep me entertained. If the party turns out whack, I'm gonna bounce."

"Of course, milady." Finn gave her a bow.

She rolled her eyes and followed the human as he climbed back downstairs. He walked over to the couch, bumping into a table, and slipped on his backpack. She floated over to the front door as he opened it and he turned, giving her a small wave. "I'll see you later Marcy. You better go to the ball, alright?"

"Fine, whatever." She watched him as he bounded down the steps and made his way out of the cave. She shut the door, wondering what she was going to wear and if she would have to trim her hair a bit. She shook her head to clear the ridiculous thoughts from her head.

_It's just a lame party anyways. It's not like I'm trying to impress anyone, especially not Finn._

"Whatever."

Finn stepped out of the cave and looked to the sun slowly lowering in the distance. He began jogging back towards his house and after about twenty minutes he finally arrived at the large tree house. He spotted the large pile of old furniture in the front yard as he walked passed it.

_We can always have that bonfire some other time_.

Stepping through the front door, he could hear various gaming sounds and as he climbed upstairs he saw Jake sitting on the couch, playing with Beemo. The yellow dog turned to look at his brother. "Salutations brother, how was thou quest?"

Finn rubbed Jake's head as he sat down next to him. "I jammed with Marceline and then we watched a movie. Turns out she might go to the royal ball, too. I told her that she should since we were both going too and it sounded like she was down to go."

Jake looked at his younger brother, "Sounds to me like you asked her to be your date for the ball, buddy."

"No I didn't, I just told her to go since it might be fun."

"What are you gonna wear for the ball? Also, are you going to collect some more Cyclops tears for your eye? I don't think the princesses will want to dance with you if you have a black eye. Oh, and don't forget to trim your hair a bit, it's getting kind of long."

Finn got up from the couch and headed upstairs to the bedroom. "Jeez, you're just like mom."

He climbed upstairs and heard Jake from below, "I heard that!"

He put his sword and backpack away and grabbed some fresh clothes, heading into the shower. He quickly showered and walked back into the room to find Jake getting settled into the drawer that served as his bed. He shook his hair and slipped underneath the warm fur skins.

Jake flipped over in bed to look at Finn. "Since you're going out to collect the tears, I'll head over to the Grocery Kingdom to buy some food. I don't want to keep eating eggs and ice cream for breakfast; Jakey needs some real food."

"Bring me some marshmallows, the ones that have sprinkles on them."

"Sure thing, bro. Night." Jake flipped back over.

Finn closed his eyes, imagining the taste of those delicious marshmallows. "Night, brother."

**A/N**

**Hey everybody! Just wanted to say thanks for reading my ongoing story and I really appreciate the reviews you guys have given me. Feel free to leave me a review to let me know how Im doing, whether good or bad, or if something captured your attention. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

**There is going to be a small time skip of a day in which Finn collected more Cyclops tears for his eye and Jake went to buy food and stuff. I also want you guys to know that this is a pretty long one so I'm sorry if I missed any errors. Enjoy!**

_There we go, now I'll look more presentable for tonight's ball._

Finn gazed at the blond-haired, blue-eyed person staring back at him through the bathroom mirror. He stood in front of the mirror, fresh out of the shower, and checked out his now clear face. The black eye had disappeared after applying a couple of droplets of Cyclops tears to the bruised part and he pressed a finger to the newly healed area, testing it. There was no pain and he let out a content sigh.

_Man this stuff is amazing; I should have kept the head here instead. No, that wouldn't have been right, I did the right thing returning his head back to his body. At least now I don't have to fight him for the tears anymore._

He was bare except for the towel wrapped around his waist and his eyes wandered to the small scars on his chest. Most of them are easily missed by a passing glance but there are a few that stand out. The most prominent one is a scar that runs a few inches down the tip of his shoulder to his chest. A year ago, a lucky swing from a skeleton knight's sword had left him with a gash on his right shoulder and part of his chest. It had to naturally heal since he was out of Cyclops tears at the time and it left him with the scar. He idly scratched it as he looked at his hair, debating whether or not he actually wanted to cut it. He decided that it would be enough to simply trim it so that it was level with his shoulders and he grabbed the small pair of scissors he regularly used for such occasion. As small strands of his golden locks fell into the sink, he thought about the party to come.

A small surge of excitement built up inside of him as he thought about seeing his friends at the royal ball. It had been a while since he had last been to a party and he was feeling a little anxious but he didn't know why. He wondered who would show up and hoped that a certain Vampire Queen would decide to make an appearance. He finished trimming his hair and ran a comb through it to collect any loose strands. Dumping the clipped hair into the trashcan, he turned to the door when he heard someone knocking on the other side.

"Hey Finn are you done putting on your make up? You know you're not the only one going to the royal ball, right?"

He opened the door and saw his brother on the other side. "Sorry Jake, guess I took a little longer than usual today."

The dog looked up at him. "Ah, its cool. I know you want to look good for all the ladies tonight." Jake said as he bobbed his eyebrows.

"I'm just ready to bust some moves on the dance floor." Finn said as he stepped out into the bedroom.

Jake walked into the bathroom and turned to give him a thumbs up. "Yeah man, me too. I'll finally get the chance to show Lady my famous Gut Wave tonight so make sure you're close by to take notes."

"I'll make sure to take a pen and some paper then." Finn replied, sarcastically.

The bathroom door shut and Finn walked over to his closet to grab the freshly pressed tuxedo that he was going to wear to the ball. He laid it on the bed and put on a new set of underwear and a white tee before putting on the dress shirt and tuxedo. It was a typical black tuxedo that Finn had found in one of the Candy Kingdom's clothing stores and he finished getting dressed just as Jake stepped out of the bathroom. He walked up to Finn and helped him put on the bowtie when he noticed that he was having trouble. Finn moved his arms and legs, letting the tuxedo form more comfortably with his body, and took a few steps back so that Jake could have a look.

"So, how do I look?"

Jake gave him a proud smile. "Look at my little Finn all grown up!" He said as he pretended to wipe a tear off his face.

Finn stared at him, expecting an actual answer. "Come on, do I look good or should I just stay home and cry?"

"Bro, you're gonna have ladies lining up outside of the door just to dance with you."

Finn could feel a slight blush emerging so he turned around and adjusted his jacket. "Alright dude, no need to exaggerate." He reached to grab his hat when Jake stopped him.

"Are you planning on wearing your hat to a royal ball?"

Finn grabbed his hat and looked at it. "I always wear my hat. Why would it be any different this time?"

Jake walked over to his bed and sat down. "Well that hat isn't exactly formal wear and I saw a few strands of blond hair in the sink so I know you trimmed it. What is the point of trimming your hair if you're just going to wear the hat anyways?"

"I guess you're right but I'm just so used to wearing it most of the time, I feel naked without it." Finn looked sadly at his hat as he hung it back on the bedpost.

"Oh, you should probably leave your backpack here, too." Jake added.

"What? You're not making this any easier Jake. Next you're going to tell me that I can't take my sword."

"Well…"

Finn threw his hands into the air as he let out an impatient grunt. "Dude, there is no way I'm going anywhere without my sword. I'll wear a sword belt so I can carry it on my waist."

Jake rubbed his jowls as he thought about it. "I don't see anything wrong with that and, to be honest, it'll probably look pretty cool."

"Heck yeah it will!" Finn walked back over to search the closet for a sword belt and sheath. After several minutes he finally found one he liked and he looped it through his pants. He dove back in again, this time looking for a sheath to hold his prized weapon in. A charcoal black sheath caught his attention and he pulled it from the pile, inspecting it. It was decorated with inlaid golden swirls that naturally drew the eye to it and he grabbed his sword off the wall to make sure it was the right size. He slid the blade in and was happy when it fit perfectly.

"Awesome." Finn held up the sword and sheath as he turned around to face his brother. "How does this one look Jake?"

Jake, now fully dressed in a tuxedo of his own, walked up to his brother to check out his selection. "Wow, it looks really nice man." Jake ran his fingers across the golden swirls, transfixed by the sharp contrast between the golden swirls and the black material the sheath was crafted from.

Finn gave him a smile and clipped it to his left side of the belt, adjusting it so that it wouldn't smack against his thigh as he walked. Jake handed him a bowtie and Finn kneeled to tie it around his brother's collar. The bowtie tightly secured, they gave each other a fist bump and Finn sat on his bed as he put on his dress shoes.

"So when is Lady going to pick us up?" Finn asked.

Jake was smoothing the fur on his head and he replied without looking back. "She'll be here in ten minutes, you know she's always punctual."

Finn leaned over to disconnect his cell phone from the charger and slipped it into his pocket. "Well I'm ready to go."

Jake threw him a small handkerchief and he caught it, confused. "It goes in the little pocket on your chest, like this." He demonstrated the folding technique and placed it in his pocket, watching as Finn mimicked his every move. "Alright, we should go outside and wait for Lady, she could arrive any minute."

"Sure thing." Finn replied. They descended the ladder downstairs and were about to go down into the entryway when Finn remembered something. "I'll be right back."

"I'll go wait outside for Lady, then." Jake said as he climbed down the ladder.

Finn hurried back upstairs and into the bathroom to retrieve an important object. He grabbed the comb that was still lying on the sink and rushed back downstairs and outside. It was evening and the sun was making its way down to meet the horizon as Finn stood next to his brother. A few seconds later a rainbow flashed across his field of vision, drawing his eyes away from the large, orange ball hanging low in the sky. Lady Rainicorn landed next to them and walked up to Jake, greeting him with a light peck on the cheek. She saw Finn and greeted him with a few words in Korean. Finn understood none of it except for "Finn" and he just gave her a smile.

"Hey Lady! How've you been?"

She replied in another jumble of words and Jake stood next to Lady, putting an arm over her shoulder. "She said that she is happy to see you and that she is excited for tonight's ball."

"Yeah, me too. That's a nice dress Lady." Finn said. She was wearing a plain white dress that had small frills at the bottom and diamond earrings, no doubt a gift from Jake that was plundered from a loot chest. Her dress looked rather comical since it barely covered a fourth of her body but he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

Jake climbed onto the portion of her back that was bare and patted the spot behind him. "Let's go Finn, we wouldn't want to keep all the princesses waiting."

Jake stretched out a hand and Finn grasped it, pulling himself up. Once Finn was set, Jake patted his girlfriend's side, getting her attention. "We're ready to go, babe."

Lady gave him a slight nod and ran a few short steps before leaping into the air. They held on as they ascended into the air at a fast speed, only slowing down once she reached the desired altitude. She cruised through the air at a slow rate, being careful not to toss off one of her passengers with her undulating body. Finn looked down as the ground sped by below them. The waning rays of sunlight receded from the land as the sun began to settle beneath the horizon. He always enjoyed watching the sunrise and sunset, gazing at the different colors cast by each new day and each approaching night. It was a constant reminder to him that, no matter what happens, life will always go on. After a while, the grasslands gave way to a sea of pink as they flew over the Cotton Candy forest. They suddenly changed course as Lady glided down towards the palace. She landed with a few trots and stopped at the bottom of the palace stairs, waiting patiently as Finn and Jake jumped off her back.

Finn looked around and was surprised by how empty it was around the palace exterior. There was no one to be found and it was rather quiet. Street lamps flickered on as they lit up the streets, giving Finn a better view of the surrounding area. There were, in fact, a few candy citizens moving about but that was it. Jake stood next to him as he adjusted his bowtie and gave he gave Finn a slight nudge. "You ready bro?"

"Always."

Jake peered up at the human and reached up a hand to ruffle his hair. "Aw man the flight here messed up your hair. You should have brought the-" He was interrupted when Finn pulled a comb from his pocket. "Oh, never mind then."

"Since I wasn't going to wear my hat I knew that my hair would get all jacked up on the way over here so I came prepared." Finn explained as he combed his hair back into place.

Finn put the comb away and they headed up to the palace doors, stopping to let Lady smooth out her dress before heading inside. Finn pushed open one of the large doors and they entered the entryway. There were candy servants pushing carts filled with used dishes into a hallway and a candy hostess sitting at a table across the room greeted them.

"Hello Finn and Jake, oh and hello Lady Rainicorn. Glad to see you made it to the royal ball tonight. Would you like me to escort you to the room in which its taking place?"

Jake shook his head. "No, that's fine. We already know where it's at."

"Very well then, please enjoy the celebration!" She gave them a bow as they walked down the hallway towards the ball.

After various twists and turns they could hear Bubblegum's amplified voice resonating through the halls as they neared the large formal room. A few banana guards were standing guard outside of the room and welcomed the trio as they entered. They stared in awe at the grand gathering of Ooo royalty and the lavish setting it was taking place in. Round tables were occupied by the various princesses of Ooo and other royalty as they listened to Princess Bubblegum give a speech. She stood on a large podium near the back of the room that was surrounded by speakers and other equipment. She was holding a microphone in her hands and Finn tuned in to what the candy princess was saying. "…and so I would like to give thanks to all of our attending guests who grace us with their appearance on the night of this grand ball. I hope you enjoyed our dinner crafted by our most talented chefs and in a few minutes we shall begin the royal ball! Please, feel free to make your way to the bar for some mixed drinks or for some more, 'adult' drinks." She walked back and handed the mike to a candy person behind her who was wearing a huge pair of headphones and she lifted them as she whispered something into his ear. He gave her a nod and she held up her dress as she proceeded to make her way down the podium steps.

The trio moved to the side as a group of waiters and servants pushed carts filled with dirty dishes out of the room. Jake let out a disappointed sigh. "Man, looks like we missed dinner." Lady looked down at her dress and said something to Jake with a concerned look on her face.

"Stop it hun, you look great." Jake said as he softly caressed her face. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, Lady returning his affection with a small smile.

Finn smiled when he saw the cute couple and he scanned the room to see where Bubblegum had gone. She was at a table conversing with Slime Princess and Wildberry Princess and Finn noticed how pretty she looked. He was interrupted by a pat on his back as Jake followed his glance and gave him a knowing wink. Finn just shook his head as they headed towards the nearest empty table, which happened to be across from Breakfast Princess.

She greeted them as they sat down, giving Finn an especially big smile. "Hey guys, I wasn't expecting to see you here, with this being a **royal** ball and all, but I'm glad the great heroes of Ooo were able to make it. You look great." The compliment was for all three but she eyed Finn as she said it.

Finn caught her eye and felt compelled to return the favor. "Oh, thanks, nice dress. You look really pretty tonight."

She beamed at him and turned away with a giggle. They sat there for several minutes as the last of the tables were cleared and Finn watched the commotion around him. Princesses were laughing and talking and a few gave him a smile when he made eye contact with them. There were dresses of all colors situated amongst the tables and they blended with the red background of the room. Everything fell to a hush when the lights suddenly dimmed and a spotlight lit up the dance floor that lay between the tables and the podium. A slow song played from the speakers and Finn chuckled when he saw the princesses gasp in excitement.

As he was observing their reactions, an orange glow caught his attention. The lump in his heart that he had thought settled long ago gave a lurch as he stared at the fiery queen of the Fire Kingdom. Finn's heart rate increased at the sight of his ex-girlfriend sitting across the room. He knew that if he stared for too long he risked attracting her attention but he couldn't look away. He felt a small twinge in his chest when she turned to speak to the man sitting next to her. It was her husband, the king of the Fire Kingdom, Bronson.

Just like Phoebe, he was a fire elemental who was able to take a more humanoid shape and tonight he was wearing an officer's military uniform with several medals pinned across his chest. He was about as tall as Finn and he was slightly broader, although Finn didn't know if that actually meant anything since he could change his form at will. His hair was short and just like the other few times Finn had seen him, he wore a serious look on his face. He leaned in to listen to his wife and a smile appeared on his lips. He stood up and gave her a slight bow, offering her a hand up from her seat. She cheerfully accepted it and he escorted her to the dance floor, embracing her as they slowly began to dance. There was a round of applause and Finn felt a wave of sadness grip him, although he wasn't sure why. Since they were the only other couple there, besides the Duke of Nuts and his wife, a few of the princesses paired up and began walking up to the dance floor. Jake gave him a slight kick under the table when he saw his brother's face, knowing too well how his younger sibling was feeling right now. Finn looked at him and although he tried to act like nothing was wrong, Jake could see a small bit of sadness in his eyes. "You okay, bro?"

Finn sighed, not really sure of what he was feeling. "Yeah, I'm okay, just…well, you know."

Jake gave him a nod, placing a hand on Finn's shoulder. "I know man, but look around Finn, there's plenty of other fish in the sea. At some point you're going to have to let go in order to move on past these feelings that you have right now. I know it's not easy, but that's the way life is. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you get the stuffing beat out of your jelly donut." Jake reached up and ruffled his hair, eliciting an annoyed grumble from Finn. "Now come on, the night is still young." Jake said, giving him a grin.

Finn cheered up a bit and gave his brother a light pat on the back. "Thanks bro, I needed that."

"That's what handsome, wiser brothers are for, right?"

Finn glanced around, pretending to look for someone. "Oh you mean Jermaine is here?"

Jake prodded him in the ribs as Finn laughed. "Ha, ha, ha, very funny." He turned to say something to Lady and they stood up. "Alright Finn, I'm gonna go dance with Lady for a bit."

"Have fun." Finn replied as they left. He sat there for a few minutes, watching as the dance floor slowly became filled with more and more people. It was mostly princesses from the neighboring kingdoms but there were a few people that he didn't recognize. He was starting to get a little restless and he drummed his fingers on the table, wondering when the party would pick up.

_I really want to dance but this music is too slow. I wonder if the DJ takes requests…_

After ten more minutes of slouching in his chair he decided to visit the bar to grab a drink, preferably something sweet. He stepped through the maze of tables and chairs and eventually made it to the crowd surrounding the bar. He waited patiently for his turn and he caught the bartender's attention when he was next in line. The tall candy bartender approached him at the bar and greeted him. "So what'll it be, Finn? Only the finest for our great hero."

Finn hadn't thought about what he was going to order the whole time he was standing there and pondered it for a moment. "Hmm, well I was craving something swe-" Someone grabbed his arm from behind and he was half-dragged towards the dance floor. He couldn't turn around to see who was leading him away because he was too busy trying to keep his balance. After a few moments he stumbled to the edge of the dance floor and he was finally able to stand straight and face the person behind him.

Princess Bubblegum gave him a smile as he turned around and Finn was struck by how beautiful she looked. She was wearing a long pink dress that reached down to her calves, and it only covered up to her chest, exposing her soft, delicate shoulders and arms. Her hair was braided down to one side of her chest and she wore a pair of elegant earrings fitted with emerald gemstones. Her natural perfume of sweet bubblegum filled his nostrils with her scent, and the dark pink heels she wore put her around the same height as Finn so they were eye level with each other. He was at a loss of words for a couple seconds and he only managed a few jumbled noises. Bubblegum giggled as Finn cleared his throat, ready to try again.

"Hi PB. You, uh, you look amazing."

She looked away for a second, cheeks blushing through her pink skin. "Thanks Finn, you look rather handsome yourself." Her pink eyes locked with the pale blue eyes of the human in front of her.

Finn felt his cheeks flush as he rubbed the back of his head. "So what's the big rush dragging me to the dance floor?"

She leaned in closer to him as she explained. "Ugh, Ice King has been following me everywhere trying to get me to dance with him. I know he's mellowed out over the past couple of years but he can still be pushy sometimes. I decided the best place to hide would be in the crowd on the dance floor, that's when I saw you heading to the bar. Plus, I already said hi to Jake and Lady and I was looking for you anyways. Two birds with one stone."

"Cool. Well I guess there's only one thing left to do." Finn said.

"Huh?"

Finn gave her a bow and offered his hand. "May I have this dance, milady?"

Bubblegum smiled and held her dress as she curtsied. "Of course, Finn Mertens."

She offered her hand and he lightly grasped it, leading her towards the middle of the dance floor. Once they reached the middle he took the lead, slowly dancing to the pace of the music. They stepped side to side, with the occasional spin, as the other pairs danced around them. Finn had his hand on her hip and she on his shoulder, and they glanced at each other every now and then.

She looked to the side, lost in thought, and suddenly spoke. "This is nice, isn't it? I can't remember the last time I was able to just relax and take a night off. You don't get many chances to when you run a kingdom by yourself." She looked him in the eyes. "I'm glad you came Finn, it's been a while since we've had any time to ourselves."

Finn gave her a smile. "Thanks for inviting me Prubs, even though I'm not royalty."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I invite you? You've been a great help to my kingdom and to all of Ooo as well. You've more than earned the right. Also, you're one of the closest friends I have. There aren't many people I can trust, but I know I can always count on you."

Finn was surprised by the small confession, his thoughts lingering on the words she said.

_Closest friend? Maybe that's the only thing I'll ever be to you. I bet the Cosmic Owl is laughing at me right now, somewhere in the universe._

The DJ switched to something more fast paced, drawing in even more people. Soon the dance floor was filled to the brim and Finn had to carefully maneuver through the crowd as they continued dancing. Bubblegum seemed to be enjoying herself and he couldn't help but feel good whenever he saw her smile. He remembered something that had been in the back of his thoughts for a while and decided it was as good a time as any to ask her. "Hey PB, what were you doing in your lab a couple days ago that was so important?"

"Oh, it was nothing, really. Just one of my silly experiments."

Finn gave her a doubtful look. "Well it was important enough that you didn't come out of your lab for several days straight. I don't want to pry into your business but I was a little worried when I heard about you being locked in there for so long. I'm surprised you were even awake when I found you."

She looked him in the eyes for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh. "Okay, I've-" She winced as someone behind her clipped her foot. "I've-" She let out a yelp when her foot was clipped again. "Ah **globbit** that stings."

Finn saw the discomfort on her face. "You want to go sit down PB?"

"No, I'm okay. Apparently some people just don't know how to dance."

Finn pulled her closer to him, now holding her around the waist as she pressed into him. She was a little surprised but she embraced him just as he was she. She lightly rested her head against his shoulder as they continued dancing, swaying back and forth to the music. Finn could feel Bubblegum's warmth against his chest and he closed his eyes, heart beating faster as he enjoyed the moment. She raised her head and spoke softly in his ear, "Like I was saying, I've been working on a project that could help the kingdom in the many years to come, and I mean **many** years. It could ensure the future survival of my people so that's why I spent so long in the lab. I know I'm getting close but there's something I can't figure out, something that I'm missing."

"Well if you ever need help, you know I'm here." Finn said, sincerely.

She gave his arm a squeeze. "Thanks Finn, I really appreciate it." She froze for a second when she felt something stiff poke her hip. A certain part of the human anatomy came to mind when she wondered what it was. It prodded her again and she blushed when she felt the size and shape of the object. She buried her face in his shoulder and Finn gave her a concerned look. "Everything alright?"

"Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" She asked, her voice muffled.

Finn's eyes grew wide and he looked down, almost too embarrassed to speak, but he laughed when he realized what it was. He stepped back and showed her the sword that hung off his belt, the handle pointing outwards. She laughed as well when she realized her mistake and she was caught slightly off guard by the fact that she had jumped to 'that' conclusion. As they continued dancing, Finn spotted a familiar couple dancing behind them. It was Phoebe and Bronson, still dancing as well. Every now and then when Finn did a turn he would glance at the couple, and soon enough his mind began to wander.

_That…that could have been me dancing with her. It _**should**_ have been me._

Finn quickly shut the thoughts from his mind, knowing where it would lead him if he continued down that path. As he turned, he cast a quick glance at the couple and felt a small jolt inside of him when he caught the Flame Queen briefly looking at him over her husband's shoulder. She immediately looked away and for the next few songs he didn't catch her looking at him again. The current song ended and Bubblegum tugged on Finn's jacket, getting his attention. "Why don't we take a break? These heels are killing me."

"Sure thing, princess."

They walked off and sat at an empty table, Bubblegum adjusting her heels as she sat down. She stood up again and turned to look at Finn. "I have to go talk to Peppermint Butler about the cake, but we can dance again later if you want to."

"Of course, PB."

She gave him a quick smile and walked away to find the mint butler. Finn watched her go and sat there for a few minutes until he realized he never had that drink. He was about to get up when his pocket vibrated, and he reached in and pulled out his phone. There was a text from Marceline and he opened it.

_Meet me outside._

"Well I guess she really decided to show up then."

He put his phone away and made his way out of the palace to meet the Vampire Queen. He stepped through the palace doors and into the cool night, immediately feeling the drastic change in temperature. He stretched, relishing the cool breeze, and looked around for the vampire. He squinted his eyes, scanning the darkness, when he heard the palace doors open and close behind him.

It suddenly grew warmer and he knew who it was just by the sudden change in temperature. "Hello Finn."

"Hey Phoebe." Finn said as he turned around.

She stood before him with her hands clasped down in front of her and Finn finally got a good look at her. Her long, red dress flowed down to her ankles, ending in small flames that sprouted from the bottom. A slit ran down the left side of her waist, revealing a small amount of leg as she stood there looking at him. She was slimmer than the last time he had seen her, but the dress still hugged her shapely chest. Her hair was down, adding to the beauty she was already radiating. Two black earrings and a diamond ring adorned her body, finishing the look.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has. What brings you out here?"

She walked past Finn towards the palace steps, stopping just shy of where they descended. "It was getting packed and stuffy in there so I came out for some fresh air."

She looked at him with curious eyes. "And you?"

Finn stared up at the night sky, taking a few moments before answering. "Same here."

She ran a hand through her hair and nodded. "So how have you been? I heard about the mountain troll you took out a couple days ago, and the rock serpent the week before that. Sounds like you've been busy." She eyed the sword strapped to his waist.

Finn rested his hand on the handle of his sword. "Well it can be a handful sometimes but it keeps me on top of my game. There's nothing like coming home exhausted from a day of protecting the citizens of Ooo. Its what I live for."

She gave him a small smile. "Nothing's a match against the great hero of Ooo, huh? I never got to thank you for slaying the feral pack of fire wolves that were terrorizing my citizens months ago."

Finn looked away and shrugged, "Like I said, it's what I do."

Talking to Phoebe was starting to make him uncomfortable but he didn't realize how much he missed simply talking to her. His chest was filling with a flurry of emotions and he cursed his indecisive heart. They stood there in silence for another minute, gazing at the bright stars glittering in the sky.

"How are things at the Fire Kingdom?" Finn asked.

"Good. We've been having some small problems with our magma pools but-" She stopped when the gem on her forehead shined briefly. She put a hand to it and then ran her hand through her hair, distracted. A small breath escaped her lips and she turned to the human. "It's probably time for me to head back inside. It was nice seeing you again Finn, goodbye."

"Yeah, it was nice seeing you too, Phoebe. Bye."

The Queen of Flames disappeared back into the palace, leaving Finn outside to process his thoughts. He waited a couple more minutes and decided that Marceline was probably just messing with him. He turned around to head back inside and was startled when she appeared in front of him. "Well, that was awkward."

Finn ran a hand across his face, annoyed by the fact that she had been there the whole time. "How long have you been here Marcy?"

She tapped her chin as she pretended to look at an invisible clock on the wall. "About twenty minutes."

"So pretty much since I walked outside?"

"Yeah."

"And I'm sure you heard everything, right?"

"Yep."

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nice."

She floated next to the human. "You still got the 'hots' for her, don't you?"

"Is that supposed to be funny?"

She laughed at his response. "Oh you naive little boy."

"Whatever. Nice dress, did you get attacked on the way here?"

Marceline rolled her eyes. She was wearing a black dress that she had ripped the sleeves off of and she tore off most of the bottom as well, revealing up to her knees. "That's no way to talk to a lady."

"Let me know when there's one around." He chuckled as he dodged a swipe aimed at his head. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" He offered his elbow to the vampire, "Shall we enter now, milady?" She looped her arm through his and they entered the palace.

They walked, and floated, down the halls as they approached the ball. Several banana guards rushed past them as they walked, drawing Finn's attention. The boom of loud music perforated the walls as they drew near and multi-colored lights shined through the open doorway. The music had taken a drastic turn from slow and formal, to fast, up beat and electric.

Marceline studied the scene, lips compressed in approval. "Not bad. Where's the bar?"

"You just got here…"

"So?"

Finn just sighed and pointed towards the bar. "It's over there."

She grabbed his hand and began leading him toward it. "Come on Finn, let's **really **get this party started."

He wasn't much into drinking but he wasn't making an effort to resist either. "I can just wait here."

Marceline turned and sneered. "Well I can ask to see if they have any apple juice if you think you can't handle it."

"Shut up."

They arrived and she left him waiting at a small table as she left to order some drinks. She came back holding four small glasses, two holding a clear liquid and the others holding an amber liquid. She placed one of each in front of him and gave him a devilish smile. "Bottoms up."

She raised one of the glasses and held it up to Finn. He hesitated but curiosity got the better of him and he reached for it. She drew it back and gave him a look. "No weenie, you're supposed to tap glasses with one of yours."

Finn looked down at his drinks. "Oh…"

He chose the amber one since it looked slightly more appetizing and he raised it, clicking their glasses together. She immediately downed it and let out a satisfied sigh. She looked at him, expectantly, as he held his in front of him. "Don't sip it. Just drink it in one go."

He closed his eyes and passed the drink, coughing a bit as it burned its way down his throat. He put the glass down and looked up to see Marcy staring at him. She gave him a smile as she eyed him mischievously.

_This might actually be fun._

She picked up the other one and they repeated the process once again. Finn waited for the slight burn to go away before he said anything. "Well, that wasn't so bad."

"Good. I'll get some more."

He grasped her by the wrist before she could leave. "No Marcy, I'm done. Why don't we go dance for a bit?"

She shook her head, disappointed. "Lightweight."

He got up and proceeded to the dance floor, vampire in tow. He pushed through the crowd until he found a spot and they started to dance. Since it wasn't slow like before, he was free to dance as he pleased. They danced for several songs before Finn began to feel the effects of the alcohol in his system. He felt good and he moved to the rhythm of the music as the DJ increased the beat. The loud bass rang in his ears and vibrated against his chest as the pair drew slightly closer after every song. Soon enough, they were dancing face to face. Finn looked into Marceline's red eyes and felt a strange sensation come over him as she danced in front of him, keeping him in a hypnotic trance. She pressed closer to him and smiled, her fangs a little longer than usual. Finn's heart leaped when he felt her cold, soft lips press against his for a few seconds and he stood there, stunned. She leaned back and resumed dancing as if nothing had happened and he followed suit. He racked his brain for any reason as to why this might have just happened.

_Maybe she just got pushed into me and she's too embarrassed to say anything. Maybe the alcohol was a little stronger than she thought. Maybe…Maybe…_

Marceline watched as the young man in front of her struggled to rationalize her kiss. She wasn't quite sure what had come over her but it was amusing to see Finn confused like that. She didn't want to say anything to him but she was surprised by how handsome he looked. His blond hair drew her eyes and she was tempted to run her hands through it, wanting to feel its soft texture. He looked sharp in his tuxedo and she was constantly looking into his pale blue eyes when he wasn't paying attention.

After dancing for thirty more minutes, the tired pair walked off the floor and took a seat, resting their weary bodies. Finn's throat was dry and he got up to get some water. "You want some water Marcy?"

"Some blood would be nice, but no, I'm good." She teased.

"Uh, ok." Finn said as he went in search of hydration. She watched him leave as she relaxed in her chair, raising one of her eyebrows.

_Cute butt._

Finn walked up to the bar and got a bottle of water, guzzling down the contents. He placed a few fingers to his lips, still feeling the ghost of Marceline's kiss on them. The young human stared up at the lights reflecting on the ceiling, perplexed by tonight's events. He was looking throughout the room when he spotted PB and Pep talking. He couldn't hear what they were saying but their body language was saying enough. Whatever it was, the princess was clearly alarmed. She put a hand to her mouth in shock and quickly issued orders to the candy butler, hands moving rampant in the air. The little butler quickly disappeared and Finn made his way to the worried princess, not sure what to expect. He put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped, startled by the sudden touch. Finn immediately knew something was wrong and questioned the candy princess. "Bubblegum, what's wrong?"

She looked at him with concern in her eyes. "This is **not** good."

Finn was about to ask again when the music suddenly stopped and the main lights turned on, illuminating the grand room. There was a slight ringing in his ears from the loud music but he could hear noises coming from outside of the room. He stepped toward the large doors, Bubblegum following close behind, and saw a banana guard fall back with his spear raised. The guard moved forward out of his view and there was a series of loud metallic clashes and grunts. There was a long pause and everyone in the room was holding their breath, not sure of what was going on. The banana guard stumbled backwards into the room, a sword protruding from his chest. Everyone stared in horror as the guard lay dying, still desperately trying to remove the sword from his chest. He let out a final gasp and went still, just as a figure clad in leather armor stepped into the room. She walked up to the fallen guard and placed a foot on him as she pulled the sword from his body, smiling at the crowd as she did. Finn could hear shouts from behind as a group of guards ran up to apprehend her and his eyes grew wide when he saw more people show up behind the mysterious assailant. It was clear that this was not a lone act of murder and Finn's blood ran cold as an adrenaline spike coursed throughout his body.

The group of guards halted in front of the crowd and Bubblegum moved past Finn to speak to the brigands. "You have committed crimes against my kingdom and you shall be severely punished. Surrender now, and I may just let you live. In my dungeon, of course."

The woman who killed the guard stepped forward, "Sorry princess, but we can't let you live. Now please, make this easy for us and just die!"

The brigands charged forward with a yell and the guards braced themselves for the attack. Swords and spears clashed as the two groups collided and the ball erupted into chaos as princesses and other royalty tried to escape the melee. Finn drew his sword and charged straight towards the candy princess, pulling her behind him when he finally reached her.

"Bubblegum, stay behind me no matter what!" He yelled.

"Ok." She replied, nervously.

They slowly backed away as Finn scanned the area for any brigands that might have gotten through but the guards were holding them, for now. They made it to where the crowd had bunched up in the back of the room and he turned around to look at PB. "Stay here, I have to go help the guards. Is there any way out besides the front door?"

"No. This is one of the older wings in the palace and we never got around to making other exits."

Finn glanced back at the battle raging behind him. "Dammit." He saw four guards racing towards the battle and he caught their attention. "Stay here and defend these people. Do not let anyone through!" Even though he wasn't proper military they still obeyed his command and set up positions around the crowd.

Marceline flew up next to him and gave him a wink. "Now **this** is what I call a party!" She cracked her knuckles and flew off to join the melee.

_That woman is crazy._

Finn ran towards the fight and realized that they were already losing. Most of the guards lay dead or were wounded and the enemy force was slowly overwhelming them. One of the brigands charged him with an axe and swung viciously, barely missing Finn's left arm as he sidestepped the blow. As he stepped, he raised his sword and brought it down across the attacker's chest, leaving a bloody gash as the man fell back. Finn shoulder charged him and threw him off balance, taking the chance to drive his sword into the man's stomach, incapacitating him.

_One down_.

He rushed to the aid of a guard who was taking on two goblin warriors wielding spears. One of them saw him coming and turned to face him, jabbing at him with his spear whenever he tried to get close. The goblin's reach was way longer than Finn's so he had to be careful or else he would end up with a spear to the belly. He moved side to side, trying to find an opening, when he bumped against something behind him. He risked a glance back and spotted a chair, and it was just what he needed. He grabbed the chair with his left hand and he threw it at the goblin, forcing him to dodge. He charged him and parried the goblin's thrust, but was caught off guard when the goblin quickly jabbed him in the chest with the other end of the spear. The goblin jumped back and Finn ducked as he swung the spear just inches above the human's head. Finn stepped back to take a quick breath.

_Man, these aren't brigands. These are mercenaries._

He saw a dagger on the floor and decided to try his plan again. He picked it up and threw it at the goblin and once again he dodged it, thrusting out his spear as Finn charged him. He parried the attack and when the goblin readied the other end of his spear Finn raised his leg and kicked him in the stomach. The air knocked out of him, the goblin faltered and gave Finn the opening he needed, landing a fatal blow to his opponent's throat. Finn panted as he stood over the body and he turned toward the guard to see how he was doing, his blood boiling when he saw him dead on the ground. The goblin was already charging toward him and Finn prepared for the assault when the goblin suddenly flew up into the air. It let out a yell as it flew higher and it was cut short as its head was violently twisted to the side, followed by a wet snap.

The lifeless body tumbled to the ground and Marceline uncloaked herself as she gave him a happy smile. "You can thank me later, baby."

She disappeared again and Finn looked around to see who else needed help. He ran up to help a guard who was locked in a stalemate with a blue orc, weapons crossed. He ran up behind the clueless orc and pierced his sword through his back and out his chest. A small gurgle escaped the dying orc's lips and Finn retracted the blade. The guard thanked him and went off to help his comrades. Finn wiped blood and sweat off of his face and he let out a surprised grunt as a fist connected with his jaw. He saw stars as he fell to the ground and he shook his head as he tried to crawl away. His eyes cleared enough for him to see a large humanoid creature standing over him, broadsword raised. He instinctively reached around for his sword but felt nothing so he rolled to the right and dodged the strike. The blade lifted again and a large foot pressed against Finn's chest, crushing him and pinning him to the ground. The sword was raised into the air again and Finn struggled to get free, but to no avail. Before the sword could plunge into his chest a fireball engulfed the large humanoid, giving Finn the chance to roll away. He watched the burning monster fall to the ground and a flaming woman came into his view.

Phoebe offered him a hand up but withdrew it when she realized how that would turn out. Finn gave her a grateful smile as he got up and scanned the floor for his sword. "Thanks Phoebe, you saved my life. Although, I guess this wouldn't be the first time."

"I know you would have done the same for me. Now how about we take care of these idiots?" She said as she produced a large fireball in each hand.

Finn found his sword and picked it up. "Let's do it."

Phoebe went off to help some of the few remaining guards and Finn squared off against a marauder wielding a large war hammer. The marauder let out a war cry before he ran at Finn, hammer swinging. Finn stepped back and kept out of range because he knew even though the swings were slow, just getting hit by one would be devastating. He timed the swings and moved in when he had a chance but the marauder reacted faster than expected and swung again at Finn. Since he was already too close the head missed but there was enough force that the blow of the handle alone was enough to send Finn falling back. He rolled and brought his sword up again, studying his opponent, when two large yellow hammers came falling from the sky. The marauder had no chance and was instantly crushed beneath the mighty blows. Finn turned to see his brother Jake running up to him with a concerned look. "Are you okay Finn?"

"Yeah man, thanks. Looks like everyone has been saving my butt today."

"Well nobody is expecting you to take on an army by yourself. I'm sorry I didn't come help sooner, I was making sure that Lady and all the princesses were safe, well as safe as they can be at the moment."

"Well I'm glad that you're here now." Finn glanced back to the crowd of princesses and felt a rage build inside of him when he saw them cowering in fear. He saw several assailants break through the line and start heading toward the group but the four guards Finn had left behind intercepted them. He turned to his canine brother, "Jake, I don't how much longer we can hold out. It just seems like there is no end to them. Can you go protect the guests?"

"But what about you?"

"I'll try to hold them off as long as I can to buy you guys some time to figure something out."

Jake shook his head. "I can't leave you bro, if something happens to you I'll never forgive myself."

Finn looked him straight in the eye. "Jake, **please**. I can't stand the thought of losing someone else, not again."

"What do you mean 'not again'?" Jake asked.

Finn turned around and headed back toward the fight, ignoring Jake's question. Jake just grumbled and ran back to help the guards protecting the crowd. Finn kept fighting for what felt like hours, even though it had been only a few minutes. Finn ran into a group of three enemies and they immediately encircled him. Finn tried to escape but they kept him in the middle as they drew closer to him, swords raised. Finn knew he had to act so he charged the one closest to him, hoping to catch them off guard. The female orc saw him coming and raised her sword to meet the hero, their swords singing the song of death as they clashed. She was strong but Finn was slightly stronger and he was able to get in close for a head butt, breaking her nose. She wailed in pain but didn't let up, so Finn gave her another head butt, this time knocking her to the floor and putting her out of action for the moment. He turned to face the other two who were charging at him but they stopped when the palace suddenly shook. Finn could hear something in the background but he couldn't make out the specific words.

"Thr…De…d! T…eat…ect…!"

The ceiling shook as a massive fist punched through it. One of the Gumball Guardians peered into the hole it had created and blared its alarm when it spotted the assailants. "Threat Detected! Neutralizing targets!"

Finn heard Bubblegum yell something at the guardian when she saw it powering up its laser. He got an idea but he still had to take care of the two guys in front of him. Almost as if on command, a giant demon-bat landed next to him and Finn looked up to give Marceline a huge smile. "Hey Marcy you mind helping me out here?"

"Sure thing weenie but I'm gonna need something from you later."

"Uh, alright." He replied, confused.

She stretched her long arms toward the fleeing men and grasped them. She threw them viciously against the floor and they just lay there, motionless.

He thanked her and ran towards Bubblegum to share his idea. "PB, use the guardians to get the people out of here! They can ride up in its hands and be carried out to safety!" Finn exclaimed.

Bubblegum's eyes lit up and she motioned for the giant guardian to pick her up. A hand stretched down and she climbed into it as Finn watched her get lifted into the sky. After a few moments she peered over its hand and gave him a thumbs up. Finn felt a new sense of relief but was confused when she came back down. "Bubblegum, what are you doing? Why didn't you get out?"

She gave him a serious look. "Because it's my responsibility to make sure everyone gets out safe and sound."

Finn wanted to argue but he knew how stubborn she was when she was serious. "Fine, but stay behind Jake and the other guards."

She nodded and he went back to bolster the defense. The defenders were able to hold them off just long enough for the majority of the guests to be evacuated and only a few of the attackers remained. As Phoebe, Marceline and the remaining guards mopped up the rest, Finn was finally able to take a quick breather. His body shook from the constant flood of adrenaline and now that the end was in sight he was feeling the after-effects as the last of the hormone dissipated. After a few deep breaths, he rose and he jerked his head back when he heard a feminine scream. He looked to see who it was and felt his throat tighten when he saw the woman in leather armor holding PB hostage. She held a dagger to Bubblegum's throat and she backed into the wall as Finn approached her.

"Don't come any close or I'll bleed her dry!" The assassin shouted.

Finn was sick to his stomach just thinking of what could happen to PB but he couldn't let the assassin think she was in charge. He stood his ground and gave her the most dominating glare he could muster. "You've lost, assassin. Let the princess go, now!"

She just laughed at his request. "And then what'll happen? You'll just execute me on the spot! I might not make it out alive, but I can sure as hell make sure she doesn't either!"

Jake ran up next to him and didn't say a word. Finn could see the tears in Bubblegum's eyes as the assassin tightened her grip around her neck, blade drawing blood as she pressed it harder against her throat. Finn was beyond furious at this point; he wanted to see her dead.

_We did _**not**_ lose this many lives just to have Bonnibel taken away from us at the end._

"We'll let you go if you'll just release her!"

"Liar!" She spat.

Finn tightened his grip on the handle of his sword. "How about gold? How much will it take?"

"I'll have enough gold to retire if I can pull this job off. Unfortunately, you guys just had to get in the way." She took the dagger off of Bubblegum's throat to point at the two brothers and PB made her move. She tucked in her shoulder and threw the assassin hard on the ground. PB jumped away as the assassin got back up and she turned in time to see Finn barreling down on her with his sword raised high above his head. She tried to raise her dagger in time for a quick blow but her arm never responded, even when the human was right in front of her face. She saw red droplets falling to the ground and her mouth opened in shock when she realized her arm was gone. She cried in pain as she looked down to the arm that had once belonged to her lying on the ground, still holding the dagger. She took a knee to her gut and she fell to the floor, breathless, staring up at the human who stood over her.

Finn watched her cry and moan in pain as she held the bleeding stump that had once been her arm and he held his sword in both of his hands, ready to end her life.

"Finn, wait!" Bubblegum's voice rang out from his side but it was too late.

He plunged his sword into her chest where her heart would be, opting for the quick kill. She coughed once and her eyes glazed over as her life slipped away. PB looked away and surveyed the damage inflicted by the attack. Tears fell from her eyes when she saw her guards dead and wounded. She looked back to the body and then at Finn "Finn…"

He looked at her with cold eyes, eyes she had never seen before. "She was going to kill you! She got what she deserved."

"I know Finn but we needed her alive. How else are we supposed to find out why this happened?"

A body came crashing into the wall next to them and it let out a groan. A giant demon-bat stomped up next to the pair, dusting its hands off. "Well you can always ask him."

Bubblegum glanced up at Marceline, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah, you too. Sorry about the party."

PB snorted, sadly. "Yeah...the party..."

Marceline stared at the quiet human standing there and she wondered what was going through his mind. She looked back to the candy princess. "So are you gonna get your answers or are you just going to stand there all day?"

Bubblegum scornfully observed the motionless figure. "I'm not sure if he even knows anything. He was probably just told the basics and sent here, and then who knows if he'll even tell the truth."

"I don't know," Finn said as he made his way toward the barely conscious man, "but we're about to find out."

**A/N**

**Well what did you guys think? This one was quite a doozy to write but I'm happy with the way it turned out!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

**Alright guys and gals here is chapter numero six! Enjoy!**

**Thirty minutes before the attack:**

The sound of heavy footfall echoed through the forest as Ryan sprinted for his life. His ragged breathing deafened him to the other noises around him and thus didn't know if Peppy was still behind him, ran some other way or if he was lying down dead in a pool of his own blood. All he knew was that if he stopped he was sure to share the same fate as the rest of his patrol. He was part of a six-man banana patrol sent to investigate a possible fire in the Cotton Candy forest that had been reported by one of the other guards working on the castle walls. They had been sent out to confirm whether it was indeed a fire in order to take the proper precautions to prevent a large-scale blaze. What they found, however, was the site of an old campfire and after ten minutes of fruitless searching they decided that the guard had only seen the dying flames of the campfire and they rounded about to head back in. Ryan had been part of the rear guard, along with Peppy, when a gang of brigands had suddenly ambushed them.

Brian had been the first to go down, getting an arrow straight into his right eye, and Michael followed next, impaled from behind by a javelin as he went to Brian's aid, not realizing he was already dead. Paul had frozen in place from the shock of the sudden attack and just watched as Eddy, his partner, was brutally stabbed by a pair of goblins wielding spears. Paul shared his fate several moments later and the last two survivors barely had enough time to flee as more assailants burst forth from the trees, hot on their trail.

Ryan glanced back to see if Peppy was still following but he was nowhere to be seen. His eyes darted back and forth as he scanned for any brigands on his trail but the dark shadows of the forest concealed his attackers. An awful scream echoed from within the forest of death, pushing him to the point that he couldn't tell if he was actually taking steps or simply flying over the ground. The grand walls of the kingdom could be seen over the tree line and his heart pumped harder, the promise of safety within his reach. He was so distracted by the sight that he tripped over a gnarly, upturned root and fell face first into the ground. Spitting dirt from his mouth, he stumbled as he tried to get up but was forced back down as a dagger flew into his back, a pained grunt escaping his lips. He crawled along on his stomach, his legs no longer responding to his commands, and silently pleaded with Glob to spare his life.

The crunch of footsteps behind him drew a helpless wail from his lips that was quickly silenced as a hand clamped over his mouth. He felt the dagger slide painfully out of his back and it was replaced by a heavy weight directly on top of the wound. He saw two legs with leather boots stretch past him and he realized that the assassin was straddling him. A female voice purred into his ear as his head was bent back, giving him a heartbreaking view of the castle walls. "Oh, so close. You almost made it back home. How disappointing."

Ryan desperately tried to yell but all that came out was a muffled mess. "Mchfuhsgehjgs!"

"Oh, what was that? I didn't quite catch what you said, on account of my hand being wrapped around your face." He could almost hear the smile on her lips. "I'll just assume that you said you were willing to die for your kingdom and what not. How honorable." She placed the tip of her dagger against his throat and spoke softly in his ear so that only Ryan could hear. "I can't have you disturbing our guests at the royal ball with your screams now, can we? I'm sure you wouldn't want to ruin all the hard work your princess put into it. Now, this'll only hurt a pinch." She tightened her grip around his mouth as she slowly sliced his throat open, a dark chuckle escaping her lips as he choked on his own blood. She waited until he stopped shaking before letting his head drop to the floor.

She turned and noticed the gathering crowd of mercenaries standing around her as she got up and adjusted her leather armor. "Damn Kyle, took you guys long enough to catch up."

A green humanoid stepped out from the group and approached her, an impressed look on his face. "Nice throw Rachel, you're pretty handy with a dagger."

She gave him a smile as she tossed the dagger into the air, catching it by the point. "They're a little bit easier to throw than a sword." She said jokingly. "Plus, they just slice through flesh so easily."

Kyle gave her a small laugh. "You really are twisted, and creepy."

"You must not have met my employer then." She said as she wiped down her dagger. "Creepiest guy you'll ever meet. Made me meet him in some old cave near the Forgotten Forest and offered me a deal I couldn't refuse."

Kyle snorted, "Yeah, one that doesn't pay up front."

She shot him a glare. "That's what I thought at first, until he offered to reveal the location of Billy's cave. I figured with all the loot he probably had stashed away I would be set up for life. I'm a sucker for things that glitter and shine."

"You better hope it's worth it or else you're shit out of luck. I'm sure it took all of your money and favors to round these guys up. Once this is over, consider my debt paid."

"Well that was our deal, wasn't it? I get my cave full of gold and you don't owe me for sparing your life when the Guild ordered you dead."

"I still don't know whether we can even pull this off. It's a whole freaking **kingdom** for Grod's sake."

Rachel gave him a scowl when she heard the slight unease in his voice. "Not the whole kingdom, just the palace. We sneak in, kill anybody unlucky enough to be inside and then make our exit. Easy."

He peered at the fallen banana guard and shrugged. "Well, if this is what they have for security then maybe it will be easy."

She gave him a confident smile and gazed at the growing number of mercenaries that showed up as the time of action drew near.

_Twenty mercenaries and two ex-Guild members versus an unknown number of pathetic guards and helpless royalty; I can't wait to be swimming in gold._

Rachel motioned for the group to gather around her, scratching an itch on her arm as she did. She eyed them and felt everything center within herself as her plan came together, only one step away from her golden paradise. "Ladies, gentleman, things. You know why you're here and you know what to do. Wait for Kyle and I to sneak in to open the gates for you and then head straight for the palace and nothing else. Stick to the shadows and remember, no prisoners." She lifted her hand in the air and spun it, indicating the start of the operation. "Alright, time to earn it!"

**Present:**

Finn stormed up to the battered man that Marceline had thrown against the wall and looked him over. The green man was somehow still conscious but he didn't respond when Finn gave him a kick. "Get up! **Now**!"

"Kick him again!" Marcy yelled from behind.

Finn reared his leg back for another kick but stopped when Bubblegum grabbed his arm from behind. "Finn, stop it! He's no use to us dead." She turned to give Marceline an angry stare. "And you, stop instigating him."

"Well he deserves it!" Jake shouted from behind.

Bubblegum glared at the semi-conscious man and felt her blood temperature rise by the second.

_How dare you attack my kingdom and murder my people. You're lucky I still need you alive, but after you've served your purpose, you're gonna wish you were dead…_

"He deserves more than a kick but I need him conscious and talking. I need answers." She said in a low voice.

Finn loosened the grip he had on his sword and felt a pain as his fingers slowly unfurled after being so tightly clenched. He let out a tense breath and sheathed his sword, turning his back to the assailant before his anger got the best of him. He noticed the small trail of blood running down Bubblegum's neck and pulled the handkerchief from his tuxedo pocket, using it to clean up the blood. PB winced but gave him a smile, letting him finish before taking the handkerchief for herself. She pressed it against her neck and looked at the human. "Thanks, Finn. I…I don't know what would have happened if you guys hadn't been here."

He leaned in and gave her a tight hug, "I'm just glad that you're safe, Peebz."

She hugged him back; greatly appreciating the hug she dearly needed at the moment. They broke the hug and Bubblegum smoothed out her dress as she went back to look at the assailant. "I have to get him to the infirmary quickly if he's going to have any chance of making it. I'll be gone for a bit, I have some things I have to arrange." The princess bid the hero farewell as she started walking toward some guards. Finn just nodded and turned around to look for Jake.

"Hey Jake," Finn said as he walked up to his brother, "you should go home and bring back the Cyclops tears. They're gonna need them badly once they start patching people up and you can get home a lot faster than I can."

Jake looked up at him and nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. I'll stop by the tree house after I make sure Lady gets home safely, I don't want her around all these bodies."

"I'll stay here for a while until everything gets sorted out." He leaned down to place a hand on Jake's shoulder. "Be careful out there, who knows if they planned anything else after this."

"Don't worry bro, I'll be back before you can say 'lickety-split'."

"Liket-"

"At least give me a head start, man."

Finn laughed, more from the nerves than from anything else. "Hurry back."

Jake strolled off to find his girlfriend, leaving Finn to find something to do. He heard several grunts and immediately turned around, his body once again preparing for the worst. It was only a pair of guards who were picking up the green man to take him to the infirmary with a troubled Bubblegum trailing behind.

Marceline stomped up next to Finn and eyed his drawn sword. "Easy there, hero. No need to go crazy."

Finn looked up at her and then at the sword held in front of him. He stared at the reflection in the blue orb and noticed that he had a cut on his right cheek that was bleeding. The hero sheathed his sword again and sighed. "Sorry, I'm still on edge."

He wiped his cheek with his hand and immediately regretted it. His cheek burned from the contact and he could hear loud sniffing coming from Marcy's direction. He cast a curious glance at the Vampire Queen and noticed that her large eyes were focused on the red smear on the back of his hand. He slowly wiped it off on his pant leg and almost jumped when she abruptly drew closer to him. "Alright shorty, time to pay up for me saving your butt earlier." The vampire said as she lowered her hand next to him.

"But I don't have gold or anything else on me." Finn replied, confused.

"Remember what happened the last time I went into this form?"

Finn's eyebrows shot up as he realized what she was asking. "No way! Then I'll be the one naked!"

She leaned in even closer and revealed her sharp teeth in a small smile. "You better start stripping Finn, I don't plan on giving anybody a free show."

He mumbled a few words under his breath as he began to undress, taking off his jacket and various shirts. He handed her his white tee and dress shirt and slipped his jacket back on again. When he didn't make a move to take off his pants she gave him an expectant cough.

He gave her an annoyed glance. "That's all you're getting Marcy, I'm not taking off my pants."

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a smirk. "That's the first time anybody's ever said that to me." She stomped her way out of the room and left Finn pondering over her remark.

He sighed when he finally understood it and walked over to help some of the nurses who were attending the wounded guards. He helped place them on stretchers and even held some of them down as emergency procedures were performed on the spot. Marceline appeared a few minutes later wearing his white tee and dress shirt, which stretched down past her thighs, and began to help as well, using her telekinetic powers to move multiple guards at once. As he was helping a guard limp over to a chair, he heard a sizzling sound followed by a shriek. He set the guard down at the table and turned to see Phoebe struggling to calm down another injured guard. He ran up next to her and realized that he wasn't merely injured; he was missing the lower half of his left leg. She tried desperately to keep him still without touching him but he kept squirming around in agony as he grabbed what was left of his leg.

She noticed Finn run up next to her and gave him a worried look. "If I don't cauterize his leg he will bleed to death before we can get him to the infirmary. You have to hold him down."

Finn walked up to the sitting guard and forced him down, pinning him to the ground. "Sorry homie."

The guard let out another yell as she placed her hand against his wound for several long and agonizing seconds, finally backing away when the wound was no longer bleeding. He held the guard for another minute, listening to his pained whimpers as they waited for a stretcher to come pick him up. A pair of nurses arrived shortly after and took him away, leaving Finn and Phoebe alone.

He walked up next to her and tried to give her an uplifting smile, knowing how hard it must be to do that to someone even if it was meant to save their life. "That was some quick thinking back there, a few minutes longer and he would have bled out."

She looked down at the small bits of charred banana flesh stuck to her hand and gave him a sad sigh. "It's all I can do to help. There's not much else I can do here."

Finn peered into her sad, yellow eyes. "You should head back home Phoebe, you've helped more than enough already. Get some rest."

She created a small fireball in her hand, incinerating the bits of charred flesh. "Bronson called in an escort from our kingdom to make sure we get home safe. It'll take at least half an hour to get here. I'll just see what else I can help with until then."

He felt a cold knot in his chest at the mention of her husband's name but buried it beneath his current layer of aches and pains. "That sounds like a good idea, you never know what else might happen."

He turned to the side to look at another guard and Phoebe noticed the cut on his cheek. "Finn, you have a cut on your cheek. You should get it taken care of before you get an infection."

"Ah, its nothing. There are more important things to take care of right now."

She placed a hand on her hip. "You won't be saying that when you're lying in a bed, dying. Who knows what kind of diseases these guys were carrying." She began to look him over for any other injuries and motioned for him to sit in a nearby chair.

"Look, I said I was fine."

She gave him a stern look and the human plopped down into the chair, preferring to sit than to listen to another lecture. The fire elemental walked over to a nurse and they spoke briefly, the nurse reaching into her medical kit to hand her a small metallic box.

She walked back over and handed the box to him. "Here Finn, you can clean and close the wound with this. I would do it but…" She finished by raising her glowing hands. He simply nodded and pulled out the medical supplies. After disinfecting and cleaning the wound, he pulled out a thread and needle for stitching the wound closed. He realized that he wouldn't be able to do it properly by himself and he looked up at her.

"I'm gonna need some help with this part."

She looked at the curved needle with unease. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'll just end up hurting you."

His eyes peered into the flaming monarch's face and felt something deep within him when he spoke up. "I can take it."

She let out a breath and took the needle and thread from him. "Alright Finn, if you say so."

She ran the needle between two fingers to sterilize it and then reached up to begin stitching. Phoebe stopped when she saw the sad look on his face and lowered the needle. "Are you sure you want me to do this?"

Finn quickly answered. "Yeah, I'm sure." He looked back down again and felt foolish. He had hoped that he would get some kind of reaction from her with his previous remark but she didn't even seem to notice.

_And why would she? Its been three years already,_ **_three_**._ She's got a kingdom and a husband, what else can she want? Maybe I just imagined something happening, like in some desperate fantasy. Why is this still bothering me?_

He stood still as she skillfully stitched him up, priding himself on not even wincing once. She finished and carefully burnt off the remaining medical thread, satisfied with her handiwork. Finn stood up and lightly touched the stitches as he blew out an impressed whistle. "Radical, where did you learn to stitch like this? I thought fire elementals used a different method to close wounds?"

She gave him a smile. "I learned a few things over the past couple of years. I can also make a mean bowl of chili and I know how to kill a man with one finger, amongst other things."

He chuckled. "I think you were always able to do that last one." He boxed up the remaining medical supplies in order to return them to the nurse. "Thanks Phoebe, I'm gonna go return these and see if there's anything else I can do to help."

"I'm gonna do the same." The Flame Queen replied, giving him a small wave as he left.

He helped for about an hour until his brother showed up with the large jar of tears. They carried it over to the infirmary and helped distribute them to the most critically injured. A familiar pink princess, who was now wearing a doctor's coat, walked up to them with a tired look on her face. "Thank you guys so much. These tears have saved many of my guards, I can't thank you enough."

Jake lifted a hand. "Don't worry about it princess, your guards need them way more than we do. Besides, Finn is the one you should be thanking. He's the one who went out yesterday to collect them."

Bubblegum opened her mouth to say something but Finn stopped her. "Take as much as you need, I can always go back to get some more. I'm cool with the Cyclops."

She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Finn." Her face turned serious. "The man we captured is responding well to my treatments. If all goes as planned he should be talking in a few hours."

"Well make sure to call me when he does, I don't want him trying to escape." Finn replied.

"Don't worry, I've got him strapped to the bed and I posted guards inside and outside of the room. He's not going anywhere."

"Well if you need help getting him to talk," Jake enlarged his fists and smacked them together, "just let me know."

"Oh I don't think that'll be a problem. I've got a special 'truth' serum that will help get him to talk. The problem is whether or not he actually knows anything. He could just lie and send us on a wild goose chase or he simply won't talk."

Finn placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure this out and bring whoever else is involved with this to justice."

She gave him a brave smile. "I know we will. I have to get back in case he wakes up early. I'll send you a text when he does, okay?"

"Word."

She walked off and Jake looked up at the human. "Do you think we'll actually find something?"

Finn clenched and unclenched his fists several times. "We better, someone has to pay for what happened tonight."

"Hold your horses, hombre. We'll get there soon enough."

"The sooner, the better."

Jake stretched up so he could whisper in his ear. "I don't know about you, but I plan on doing some fridge raiding pretty soon, I'm starving. You in?"

Finn knew that he should have been hungry by now but he and his stomach were not on the same page. "Nah man, maybe later."

Jake shrugged his shoulders and shrunk down into a small mouse. "I'll try to save you something. No promises, though."

Knowing Jake, Finn knew there would be candy staff going hungry in the morning. "Don't eat PB's pudding, you know how she gets."

"No promises on that, either." Finn watched as the little Jake mouse slipped between the doors as he went on his way to clear out the kitchen.

Once he knew that all the surviving guards were taken care of, he walked outside to get some fresh air. On his way through the hallways he passed by candy staff that were cleaning up pools of blood and other debris. In some places there were even streaks of blood that ran across the walls. Finn felt a familiar anger rise up out of the pit of his stomach.

_I was busy dancing like nothing was happening and there were guards fighting for their lives only a few rooms away. I should have realized something was wrong when those guards ran past me._

He continued to berate himself as he walked out of the palace to catch the night's cool air. The young man sat down on the palace steps and looked up at the large moon for a while, trying to clear his thoughts. Lying on his back, he pulled his sword from its sheath for easy access and closed his eyes to meditate for a bit. After a few minutes, he could feel himself falling asleep but he got the sudden urge to sneeze when something tickled his nose. He looked up and saw Marceline floating over him, her hair falling over his face. He opened his mouth to say something but ended up getting a mouthful of hair. Spitting it out as he sat up, he turned to face the child of the Nightosphere. "Hey Marcy, I thought you would have left by now."

She floated down and took a seat next to him. "Not yet, I wanted to see if things picked back up again but I guess the party is busted."

"Yeah…"

She picked up his sword and flipped it over in her hands as she studied it. She looked into the blue orb and didn't see her own reflection, of course, but she could've sworn that she saw something else. Marcy used her demon eyes to try to see what it was but the object proved elusive. She let out an irritated "tch" and placed it back down next to the human. "It was fun while it lasted, I guess." She punched him in the shoulder to get his attention. "Hey, you wanna blow this joint? Maybe strangle a pixie or twelve?"

"Not right now, babe. I'm pooped." He replied as he idly scratched the stitches on his cheek.

"You're no fun."

He lay back down with his hands behind his head to gaze up at the stars. "Sorry."

She pulled down on the borrowed dress shirt and lay down next to him with her head on his chest. She could feel the slight thumping of his heart and it almost seemed like it picked up for a couple seconds. She joined him in admiring the night sky and they stayed like that for several minutes before Finn finally spoke. "Do you ever look at the stars and wonder if some alien on some planet is looking back at ours? Maybe they have the same troubles that we do, or maybe they see our fight for life as we see an ant's. If you think about the grand scheme of things, we're small and insignificant. We're just a tiny letter in the Multiverse's giant pot of alphabet soup."

"Wow Finn, I didn't expect you to get all philosophical. Careful, you might hurt your brain."

Finn reached over and grabbed a small strain of her hair and gave it a tug, drawing an "Ow!" from the Vampire Queen. She slid her hand under his tuxedo jacket and squeezed one of his nipples, causing Finn to give her hair another pull. They engaged in this contest of pain for another minute until Finn finally gave in. "Ow! Alright, alright!"

He released her hair and she his nipple, Finn checking just to make sure it was still attached to his chest. Marceline massaged the base of her hair and shifted to look him in the eyes. "You almost left me bald. Next time, you're going home with one less nipple."

"Whatevs."

They went back to stargazing and lay in silence for a while. There were soft booming sounds in the background as the Gumball Guardians paced throughout the Candy Kingdom in search of any more hidden assassins. Marceline was entranced by the shining dots in the sky; it had been a while since she had actually paid attention to them. She was so used to the night sky that the stars had eventually become nothing but a blur in the background. Finn's chest began to rise and fall in a slow and steady rhythm, prompting the vampire to glance at him. He was asleep, no doubt tired from the battle several hours ago. She looked at him for a few minutes, checking out his not-so-young features, when her eyes settled on his blond hair. It shifted from the slight breeze and she once again felt the temptation to run her hands through it. It reflected the moon's light, which made it look like more of a pale blond than its usual golden hue. The tips around his forehead curled in slightly and were a darker color than the rest of his hair, almost as if a fire had singed them. Checking to make sure he was truly asleep, she carefully lifted a hand to fumble with his golden locks when his pants suddenly vibrated, causing her to quickly retract her hand.

Finn's eyes snapped open and he quickly sat upright, almost knocking Marceline down the palace steps. "Wha? Huh?" He reached for his sword as he scanned the area around him, tense and ready for another fight.

Marcy pinched him and he settled down when he saw her next to him, finally remembering where he was. "Calm down weenie, it was probably just your phone going off."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, noticing the text from Bubblegum.

_He woke up earlier than expected and he's putting up a fight, trying to break the restraints. I asked him some questions but he is not cooperating, I could use your help._

He felt one worry drop and another one surface. He rapidly typed in a response and sent it.

_Be there in a few._

"Looks like its time to have ourselves a little chat with the green man." Finn said as he got up. "You coming?"

Marcy floated up and gave him a bored shrug. "Might as well, there's nothing else to do."

He picked up his sword, sheathed it, and proceeded to make his way inside. Peppermint Butler was already waiting for them and he escorted them to the room, parting ways when they arrived. As they walked up they saw two guards standing outside and a restless Bubblegum pacing back and forth across the hallway. She saw them coming and simply motioned for them to follow her as she stepped inside the room. As they entered they noticed the large bed the green man was strapped into and the medical equipment surrounding him. There was a guard posted in each corner of the room and a nurse that was adjusting one of the machines gave them a shy glance. She quickly finished and stepped out, leaving them to their business.

Before they got any closer, PB turned around to whisper to them. "I just gave him the 'truth' serum several minutes ago but, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure how long it'll take before it goes into effect."

Marceline clicked her tongue and gave her a smug look. "Ah, the great scientist is just as fallible as the rest of us. It must suck not knowing something for once."

Bubblegum gave her an irritated roll of the eyes. "Bite me."

Marcy gave her an evil smile, fangs elongating as it widened. "Don't tempt me, princess."

Finn lifted an arm between them and coughed. "We don't have time for this junk."

Bubblegum broke off first and went to stand by the bed, waiting for the others to follow. Finn walked up to the green man and looked down at him as the man stared back, brows furrowed in apparent anger. Bubblegum removed the oxygen mask he was wearing and put it to the side. "What is your name?"

The man stayed quiet so she asked again with a slight hint of ice this time. "What is your name?"

He ignored her and just stared at the ceiling, deadpan. Finn noticed Bubblegum clenching one of her fists so he decided to give it a try. "Hey jerk, the princess asked you a question so you better start answering."

They were surprised when he turned to look at Finn with a menacing stare and Finn matched it just as well. "How about you ask your mom." He broke into laughter and immediately stopped at the sharp pain in his chest.

Finn looked him over with a scowl as he tried to contain the fire rising in his belly.

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be. I'm a little impatient today."

"Fuck off."

_I'm gonna pound this guy's face in if he-_

PB suddenly spoke up, breaking Finn's train of thought. "Listen, just tell me what I want to know and this won't have to end badly."

The man looked at her like she was an idiot. "Do you really think I'm stupid? I know I'm not getting out of here; I'll either be executed or sent away to rot in the dungeon. You're not the sweet and fluffy princess everyone makes you out to be. There's no happy ending for me, so why should there be one for you?"

She studied him, trying to figure out why he wasn't cooperating like he should have been.

_Why isn't my serum working? I made it exactly as it was formulated in the book with no mistakes. He should be spilling the beans by now._

She stepped outside, Finn and Marcy trailing behind her. "It seems like the serum isn't working. What if I give him another dose?"

"Well it hasn't been that long since the first dose, right? Maybe it takes longer than you thought." Finn replied.

Bubblegum looked down and appeared lost in thought as she worked out formulas and complex equations in a few seconds.

"Why don't we get a little more, 'persuasive'?" The Vampire Queen suggested.

Bubblegum looked up at her and asked the question she already had the answer to. "What do you mean?"

"You know **exactly** what I mean."

She glanced briefly at the human standing beside her before she answered. "You mean 'extreme' interrogation?"

The vampire smirked. "Well that's one way to put it."

Finn had been standing there silent as if he didn't understand but he knew what they were suggesting. "Torture?"

PB reluctantly nodded. "There are not many options left, Finn. It's either that or dose him again and wait for it to kick in but who knows how long that could take."

Finn wasn't very comfortable with the idea of torturing somebody but he did understand that sometimes bad things had to be done in order to catch bad people. He had to try one more time though, to salve his conscience. "Look, why don't we try again? Maybe the serum just kicked in and we don't even know it."

Bubblegum's face was doubtful but she decided to give it another shot. "Okay, we can try again."

Marceline let out a disappointed sigh. "Lame. Come get me when you want results."

Bubblegum just shook her head as she walked in and Finn followed her. The man was in the same position they had left him in and he stared at them when they came up bedside. "What? You here to try again?"

"What is you name?" PB asked.

"This again? I thought I already made it clear. Fuck. Off."

Finn stepped up next to him. "Just answer the damn question!"

He laughed, a little more softly this time. "You call this an interrogation? Pathetic. I've seen little rabbits more intimidating than you. How about we strike a deal?" He offered.

PB wasn't in the mood for negotiating but decided that he might open up if he felt like he had a chance so she asked anyways. "What do you have in mind?"

The man gave her a lewd grin. "How about you get the banana guards and pretty boy over here out of the room and come lay down here next to me. Spend the night with me and I'll tell you anything you want, sweetheart."

Finn's anger threatened to burst forth but she held him back. "Yeah, keep dreaming, sicko." Finn replied. He pulled his sword and placed the tip by the man's throat. "I was the one who convinced them to give you another chance. Looks like things are about to get unpleasant for you."

The man's eyes opened wide and stuttered as he spoke. "N-Now there's no need to get hasty guys. Look, I'll talk but only to the princess."

Finn narrowed his eyes, "I don't trust you."

"What do you think I'm gonna do, break from these restraints and kidnap the princess?"

"Now I definitely don't trust you."

"Fine, suit yourself."

Bubblegum patted Finn's arm and gave him a slight nod. "Its okay."

Finn retracted the sword and shot the man a glare as he walked up next to one of the banana guards standing in the corner. He could hear the man begin whispering to PB but she couldn't hear him so she leaned it a bit closer. As she did, he hacked up a bloody loogie and spat it right in Bubblegum's face. She recoiled back in disgust and dry heaved as Finn stormed up to the man, furious. Finn felt the white hot fire in his belly travel up into his balled fist and then down into the man's face as his fist savagely connected with his jaw. He could hear PB retching behind him and it only added fuel to the fire as Finn snarled, another blow connecting with the man's left eye. The crazy man merely smiled and painfully laughed through bloodied lips and teeth.

It took all his will power not to pummel the helpless man into oblivion but after a few tense breaths the human finally began settle down. Finn turned to check on PB as she wiped her mouth and he instantly regretted giving the heinous man another chance. "Sorry PB, this was a stupid idea."

She shook her head in disagreement as she ordered the guards to leave the room. "No Finn, we had to try at least one more time."

Finn followed her back out of the room and found Marceline leaning against one of the walls in the hallway. "Sounds like things didn't go as planned." She said.

"No, they didn't." PB answered, dryly.

"I **could** help you out if you ask nicely enough." She offered, as she glanced at her nails.

Bubblegum bit her lip to keep in the unfriendly retort that was threatening to come out. She waited until the urge passed and then faked the best smile she could. "I would greatly appreciate your assistance."

"I'm not buying that smile."

PB let out an impatient grunt so Finn stepped in, knowing she would get mad if this kept up. "Come on Marcy, help us out. Please?"

"Ugh, fine. But only because I haven't done this in a while and because I'm bored." She floated halfway through the open door and glanced back at them. "This should only take a couple of minutes. Those with delicate sensibilities might want to leave." She floated into the room and locked the door behind her.

They stood outside the room, trying to tune out the loud smacks and screams that filtered through the walls. At one moment there was even a loud crash, as if the whole bed had been thrown across the room. After about twenty minutes, she emerged from the room with a victorious smile on her face. "His name is Kyle, he was hired by an ex-partner named Rachel, and he used to be part of the Guild of Assassins. Also, he has a sock fetish."

Finn gave her an impressed smile. "Good job."

"Is that it? No locations or anything else?" PB asked.

"Hmmm, well he did mention that the guy who was supposedly paying Rachel to kill us met her in some old cave near the Forgotten Forest."

Finn crossed his arms and processed the information. "Well that's the first lead we have. Also, we need to find this Rachel lady, see if she survived."

"No dice, hero. She was the one who was holding Bonnibel hostage before you came to her rescue. You already put her out of commission."

"I guess that only leaves us with the cave. I'll go check it out right now in case there is anyone waiting for Rachel to return. The thing is, I have no idea where it's at."

"Well I do, I can draw you a map if you want."

Finn walked up to her and grabbed her hand as he began to lead her out. "Sorry Marcy but that'll take too long. We have to go now or we might miss them."

She planted her feet as she resisted him. "No Finn, I don't want to go back there."

Finn turned and gave her his best puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

"No."

He leaned in even closer. "Pretty please?"

She quickly looked away before she could fall prey to his eyes but they eventually broke through. "Ah, you're such a pain. Fine. Can I at least get some clothes from my house? I'm not flying over Ooo in just a dress shirt."

"I'll let you borrow something from my closet, Marceline." PB offered. "Plus, there's something I need to give you guys before you leave." Bubblegum led the grumbling vampire to her quarters as Finn turned to the guards who were still waiting outside.

"Well I guess you guys can go back in there, although, I'm not sure if Marcy left anything to go back to." Finn began jogging down the hallway as he gave them a quick wave goodbye. "Tell the princess I'll be outside."

He searched the palace for his brother to ask for his help but he was nowhere to be found.

_He probably got locked in the fridge._

Finn laughed to himself as he stepped out of the palace and saw a waiting princess and vampire. Marceline was floating with her hands crossed, wearing a pink hoodie with matching pink sweat pants. She gave Finn a scowl as he approached and huffed. "This is **so** not my color."

Finn gave her a smile. "What? You look cute, Mar-Mar."

She muttered a few obscenities under her breath as she floated down the palace steps. "Hurry up, Finn. I don't have all night."

He chuckled and accepted the small crystal device that Bubblegum placed in his hand. "This will allow me to track your movements and it can also be used as a communication device. You can wear it around your neck and if you press and hold the little green button it'll light up."

"Thanks, Peebz. Guess I'll get going now." He slipped on the necklace device and turned to leave.

Bubblegum lightly grasped his arm before he got out of reach. "Finn, be careful." She said softly. "I don't want to either of you getting hurt, or worse."

Finn gave her a brief hug and one of his confident smiles. "Don't worry PB, I'll be careful. Besides, I got the Vampire Queen watching my back. I'll give you a call when we find the cave, so don't worry."

He started making his way down the steps as Bubblegum gave him a wave. "Alright Finn, good luck!"

Jumping down the last few steps, he found Marcy tying her hair into a ponytail. "You ready, Finn?"

"Ready as Jake at an ice cream eating contest."

"I'm sure there's a funny story behind that."

Finn checked to make sure he still had his crystal communicator and made sure his sword was fully sheathed.

_Don't want it falling out and giving someone a haircut._

"Ready for lift off, captain." He said, giving her a thumbs up.

She flew behind him and looped her arms under his, making sure her grip was solid. Satisfied, she slowly lifted into the air and began flying towards the forest. "Let's go find us a bad guy."

**A/N**

**I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter and I want to say thanks for all the awesome reviews/favorites/follows you wonderful people have left me! It feels nice to know that people are actually enjoying it and coming back for more so once again, thank you! Till the next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

The cool night air nipped at Finn's cheeks as he flew towards the Forgotten Forest. It wasn't particularly cold, but flying through the air at high speeds was starting to chill him even though he was still wearing his tuxedo, minus the shirts. Blond hair whipped around his head and sometimes into his eyes, eliciting an annoyed grumble from the human every now and again.

_Man I wish I had my hat._

Ten minutes had passed since he had left the Candy Kingdom and there was still a lot of ground to cover. Of course, it always helped that the Vampire Queen was the one doing the flying. Finn looked up to check on Marceline, "Yo Marcy, how are you holding up?"

She glanced at the young man held in her arms and gave him a small smile, "I'm good. I remember you weighing less the last time I carried you."

"Well I have grown a bit. I've been eating my vegetables."

Marcy snorted, "Jake's got you on a diet now?"

Finn brushed away a strand of hair that blew into his face, only to have another one immediately take its place. "No, I just never realized how good they were until I mixed them with spaghetti one day. Now I usually clear out the little garden we have out back."

She readjusted her grip on Finn as she spoke, "Well you don't have as much baby fat as before, you used to be kind of chubby."

"You've been checking me out Marcy?" Finn teased.

Even though he was just messing around, Marceline felt her cheeks warm up despite flying through the cold night sky. "N-No! I, uh, just noticed when you gave me your shirts earlier."

Finn chuckled and enjoyed something about her reaction, maybe the fact that she finally noticed that he wasn't the little boy he once was. The soft, younger body he once had was growing leaner and stronger as he developed, replacing fat with muscle. He felt a little more confident and relished the slight boost to his ego, being careful not to let it go to his head. He was successful but he couldn't resist messing with her. "I guess we're even now for the other night, right?"

She scoffed, "Yeah right! You saw _**way**_ more than that, you little perv."

"Yeah but that was completely by accident."

"So? I never got to punish you for gawking at me. I should do it now." The hands gripping the human relaxed slightly and Finn began to slip from her grasp, eliciting a quick and panicked shout from the nervous adventurer.

Finn wrapped his arms around Marcy's and clawed at her sweater as she laughed fiendishly. "J-Jeez Marcy, don't play like that!"

She slowed down and shifted his weight to secure her grip once again. "Oh man, you should have seen your face," she said as she gasped between laughs. "Classic!"

Finn wasn't amused, "Yeah, you're so hilarious." He scanned ahead and saw a vast, open expanse for miles around. "How much longer is it?"

Marcy's face scrunched up in thought, "Twenty minutes, give or take. It has been a while since I've been back there."

The memories she had of the forest were not ones she was keen on remembering. They would only dig up feelings of manipulation and remorse she had sealed away, deep in her heart. However, just thinking about the forest gave the memories a chance to claw themselves out of the deep abysmal pit they had been cast into.

_Damn it, I should have gone home instead._

Finn felt the vampire's arms wrap tighter around his chest, "Marcy?"

His voice was lost to the internal battle in her mind to bottle up the escaped emotions before they could resurface once again. It was only the grumble in her stomach that was able to draw her from the mental labyrinth in her head, and she regretted skipping breakfast.

_We should be back in time for lunch, at least for me._

"Ooo to Marcy!"

She looked down at Finn, the sounds from his mouth finally registering as words to her ears. "Huh? What's up?"

"You totes zoned out for a few minutes. You okay?"

Marceline sighed, thankful for the distraction that drew her from her thoughts. "Just thinking about how much longer we have to go. If you weren't so heavy we could have been there by now."

Finn snorted, "Pshh, some Vampire Queen you are. I thought you had super strength and all those other cool powers?"

She feigned shock, "Oh no Finn, you're slipping again!"

Finn once again felt himself slipping but this time he almost did, barely being able to grasp her wrist with one hand before he fell into the darkness below. He dangled precariously as he looked up at her, "I was just kidding!" The mischievous vampire made no attempt to help him up, preferring to laugh at the predicament she felt he had gotten himself into. "Ah, okay Marcy, jokes over!" She didn't budge and Finn knew he was paying the price for teasing her.

_All right then, lets see how you like **this**._

Climbing up her arm, he quickly wrapped his free arm around her waist and began to pull himself up. Marcy felt his hand slip underneath her sweater and she blushed from the unexpected skin contact, "Hey! Watch your hands!"

The human was able to move fast enough to swing up and mount himself on her back, riding her as if he was riding a candy horse, despite her protest. An annoyed growl escaped the Vampire Queen's lips as she began to roll over to throw off the unwanted jockey. Finn was able to react in time, wrapping his arms around the vampire and successfully pinning hers to her body. The pair spun in circles through the air as she tried to toss him off, the human holding on for dear life. Finn's grip began to weaken as Marceline slowly forced his arms apart. She finally broke free and gave one last twist, sending her passenger falling off her back.

Marcy gave a triumphant shout, "Ha! I finally got-" She watched him yell as he tumbled down towards the ground, "Whoops."

She dove down as fast as she could, wind screeching past her as she stretched an arm out to reach for him. Finn could only stare at the ground as it raced up to meet him, crossing his arms in front of him even though he knew it was futile. Marceline's scalp tightened when she realized she might not reach him in time but luckily she managed to wrap her fingers around one of his ankles and slowed him down before he smashed into the floor below.

Finn laughed nervously as his face floated several feet above the cold, hard surface, "You really cut it close this time. You knew you were going to be able to catch me, right?"

She lowered the human and returned his nervous laugh as her heart sped away in her chest, "Y-Yeah, totally."

Finn wasn't comfortable with how shaky her response was and promised himself never to do that again, lest he end up a bloody splat on the floor. However, being the young adventurer that he was, he had learned how to take such close encounters in stride. "As fun as almost hurtling to my doom was, we should probably get back on track."

Marcy was surprised he was able to shrug it off so easily. It was ridiculous that it had almost happened while they were messing around, too. She couldn't help but smile at the young man. Even though his sense of righteousness could get annoying sometimes, she was always caught off guard by his ability to be a bit of a 'bad boy' every now and then.

_There's never a dull moment with this guy, that's for sure. He always knows how to keep a girl entertained._

Marcy's eyes widened when she felt a slight flutter in her stomach, something she hadn't felt in a long time. The sensation was almost alien to her. Finn was looking straight at her while this was going on and her cheeks grew pink as she averted her gaze, spotting the Forgotten Forest only a few minutes away. "W-Well we're pretty much here already," she stammered as she pointed behind him.

Finn turned around and noticed the large patch of darkness that consumed the moonlight shining down into it. "Cool, lets head out then." He shook his hair and it fell back into place, almost magically, as he began walking towards the forest.

Marceline floated in place for a couple seconds before she began to follow him, holding a hand lightly to her mid-section. She could feel the remnants of the signal her heart had sent her still in her stomach and she brushed it away before it could plant its roots in her thoughts.

_That was nothing. You were just scared and that was it. Nothing else. Nothing._

She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh before catching up with the human. Finn glanced back after he heard her small release of breath, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing really, just not too excited to be coming back to this place."

The young man studied the forest as he readjusted his sword belt, "Why not? I mean, if it's not too personal to ask, of course."

He saw a small flash of sadness cross her face before she looked away again, her face covered in the veil of her lengthy hair blowing softly in the wind. "I'd much rather not talk about it. It should stay in the past, like so many other things…"

Finn could hear the sorrow in her voice and was even more curious as to what could upset his close friend but he respected her wishes by prying no further. "Okay Marcy, we can forget about it."

The vampire reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before giving him a grateful smile, "Thanks."

Finn found himself staring at the Vampire Queen. The way she smiled tugged at his heartstrings and he had trouble processing what his chest was feeling. Her lips curved up in a beautiful arc that was both inviting and captivating at the same time. The way her hair covered one half of her face and flowed past her while glowing from the silvery moonlight only magnified her beauty. Her shining red eyes were locked on the human's and a small fang was revealed as her smile widened by another graceful inch. They were locked in place for what felt like hours to them but several seconds passed before Finn looked away. He nervously fumbled with his already adjusted belt as his mind began to fog up with thoughts, the memory of Marceline's kiss from earlier coming straight to the top of the list.

He coughed before beginning to walk briskly towards the forest again, "Y-Yeah, don't mention it."

They traveled in silence the rest of the way and minutes later they stopped in front of the looming forest. Dark tendrils that sprouted from old trunks stretched into the sky in an attempt to claim it as their own. Foliage was almost nonexistent as most of the trees appeared to be either dead or withered husks of their former selves. They were not of the tall and mighty breed that grew in the Crafty Forest, of that Finn was sure. Finn stepped into the fringes of the forest and after only a few feet it became extremely dark. He wondered why the moonlight was unable to shine through if there weren't any leaves to block out the light.

Marceline floated passed him as she delved deeper into the forest but stopped when she didn't feel Finn following behind, "Um, Finn?"

"I can't see in there, Marcy. I need a torch or something."

A bug landed on his neck and he swatted it, his hand brushing against the necklace. He drew it from his tuxedo and was generally surprised that it was still on him, even after his tumble through the air. The pink crystal fit neatly in the palm of his hand and he flipped it as he searched for the little green button Bubblegum had mentioned earlier. He pressed it and pink light emanated from within the device and it only grew brighter as it warmed up. Soon there was light flooding the surrounding area and it gave Finn about twenty feet of visibility in every direction.

There was a hiss and he looked up to see Marcy rubbing her eyes, "How about a warning next time for us creatures of the night?"

He stuck out his other hand to block the light from Marcy until her eyes could adjust. "Sorry."

She turned around and replied with a grunt as he slipped it back on. Now that he didn't have to worry about getting devoured by a monster in the dark, the human calmly followed the Queen of Darkness as she navigated using her nocturnal abilities. They trekked for about twenty minutes as they twisted and turned through the misty forest. Marceline came to a stop near a large, rotten tree with stringy branches that sat limply on the floor.

Finn hardly noticed the bones that littered the dirt surrounding the tree as he walked up next to Marcy, "We almost there?"

She floated in place as she gave him a strange look, "Almost where?"

"Um, the cave?"

"I have no idea where it's at, I only knew where the forest was."

Finn's shoulders sagged when he realized they were walking around aimlessly for almost half an hour. "Then why didn't you say something earlier?"

She shot him a look, "Would it have made a difference anyways? We still have to search this whole freaking forest."

"Well…maybe…okay, I guess not. Why did you stop then?"

Her mouth opened up to answer but her stomach beat her to the response. It growled softly and she looked away in embarrassment as the hero in front of her chuckled. "Aw Mar-Mar, why didn't you say you were hungry?"

"Well it wasn't bothering me until now." Another growl was heard but it was significantly louder this time.

"Jeez, you must really-"

The Vampire Queen quickly interrupted him, "Finn, that wasn't me."

They both sat in silence as Finn raised his necklace above him to squeeze out a few more feet of light around them. He heard a loud whipping sound and Marceline yelped behind him as a tree branch wrapped around her ankle. The branch coiled tightly around her leg but she was able to grab it and snap it in two before it was able to do any damage. The small victory was short lived, however, as two more branches extended and wrapped around her left arm and leg. Finn tracked the branches to find the tree responsible and they led him to the large tree riddled with bones, directly ahead of them. Marceline grunted in anger as she wrestled the branches that were slowly pulling her closer and closer to the menacing tree. She managed to break the one holding her left arm but as soon as she did three more shot out and caught her remaining limbs, immobilizing her completely. Finn drew his sword as he sprinted towards the tree to hack it to pieces and he stared in horror as the trunk of the tree began to bulge and splinter until it opened up into a horrific mouth.

It began to open and close in loud snaps as the now entangled vampire was guided head first into its maw. "Finn, I could _**really**_ use your help right about now!"

Finn dodged a branch as it shot towards him and leapt into the air as he brought down his sword in a two-handed swipe that cut through the branches. Marceline landed on the ground as Finn ran up to her, using his sword to chop through the tree limbs holding his friend prisoner. With the branches weakened, she used her strength to explode out from the messy tangle and was about to thank Finn before he too, was snatched up by the ankle. He swung a powerful strike that went clean through the vile branch and was caught in mid-air by Marcy as she flew away from the cursed tree.

She carried him for another minute before Finn began to shuffle in her arms. "I can walk Marcy, I'm not hurt or anything."

They stopped near a small clearing and she put the human down. He shuffled over to a tree and leaned against it as he fixed a shoe back into place. As Marceline checked their surroundings, she could feel something nagging her about where they were.

_This place feels…familiar._

After several seconds she finally recognized the area and groaned internally. This was the one place she wanted to avoid but here she was.

_Well its not like Finn knows what this place is. I'll just get us moving before anything weird happens._

She saw him leaning against a tree and floated up to him, "Hey weenie, where do-" she stopped suddenly as Finn moved his hand away from the trunk of the tree, revealing a mark from long ago.

Finn raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze, eyes settling on a round shape carved into the tree. He leaned in closer and brought up the crystal for a better look, fingers tracing the rough carving. The round shape became a heart as he studied it and he noticed three smaller shapes within the heart. There was an M at the top followed by a smaller heart beneath it and an A at the very bottom. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was one of those hearts that people carved out when they were in love.

_M and A? Whose names start with-_

He turned around and looked at the not-so-happy woman who was avoiding his gaze. "Marcy, is…is this who I think it is?"

She sighed and floated a few feet away, "Yeah, unfortunately it is."

Finn glanced back at the initials, "Marceline loves Ash." The words made Marcy tense up and he instantly regretted saying it out loud. "Sorry, that was stupid of me."

Marcy appeared to give him the cold shoulder but she simply didn't want him to see the pain on her face. The feelings of regret and manipulation began to slowly trickle out as she thought about her previous abusive relationship with Ash. She turned away and crossed her arms, trying her best to forget that particular part of her past that reared its ugly head in the form of an old romantic gesture.

_Ugh, why? Of all the places I could have stopped, I stopped here._

She ran a hand through her long hair and wondered what mental disorder she had that made her want to date a scumbag like him. A hand settled on her shoulder and Finn popped into her view, giving her a look that said that he wanted to help.

She rested a hand on top of his as she reluctantly began to speak, "I carved that back when we used to hang out here, which was most of the time. That was before he became a total asshole. He was nice at first and was one of those typical 'bad boy' types who always messed around and got into trouble but he didn't care. Eventually I joined in his antics and we would roam the land in search of people to push around and bully. After dating for a while we moved into the tree house and it was great at first but as time passed he neglected me more and more. He began to bully me around just like everyone else and his jerk friends would follow along without a care in the world."

She took a short breath, surprised that all the words were tumbling out of her so easily, as if she had always wanted to get this off her chest. Finn was sitting down next to her and that's when she realized that she was sitting as well.

With another slow breath, she continued, "I don't know why I stayed so long. Maybe it was because he would tell me on a daily basis that I was 'his' and that I would never belong to anyone else. I knew he was wrong but for some reason his words always cut into me and eventually I began to believe him. Things got worse and it wasn't even a relationship anymore, just me fulfilling his desires like some damn monkey on a leash."

The slight rustle of clothing made her glance at the young man next to her and she noticed Finn's tightly clenched fists grasping his pants. He was staring down at the ground with a tight expression on his face, "Did…did he force you to…to do things you didn't want to?"

"I didn't fulfill _**all**_ of his desires, of course. Lets just say he never got the satisfaction. It wasn't until he sold Hambo that I finally grew the courage to dump his inconsiderate ass. The way he was able to sell one of my closest friends without a thought about me just burned me up from the inside. Hambo might not have been alive, but we had both been through some serious stuff together. Plus, he was a gift from Simon before he…before he became the Ice King. I guess its only fitting that we were able to use him to bring Betty into Ooo. I just hope she can actually find a way to reverse the crown's spell."

Finn peered into the metallic blade that rested across his lap as he listened to Marceline talk about her past. "I'm sorry, Marceline. I wish there was something I could have done."

"I know, Finn."

He lightly ran a fingertip across the edge of the blade, "He hasn't bothered you since the last time we saw him, right? You just let me know if that creep shows his ugly face again. I'll take care of him."

She thought he was playing around and was about to laugh until she saw the serious look on his face. His sincere offer to help touched her heart and she was grateful to have someone who would willingly share a piece of her burden. Then again, Finn was always the type to help no matter what the problem but it still lightened her mood, regardless. The slight fluttery sensation returned as she gazed at the human but this time it didn't warrant her scorn. She leaned over and lightly pecked his cheek before swiftly rising.

His face warmed as he stood up and Marcy motioned to the forest, "So, you ready to find this cave, hero?"

"Totes ready."

Finn sheathed his sword as they delved deeper into the Forgotten Forest. Marceline kept to the edges of the ring of light surrounding Finn to more effectively use her night vision while the human provided the rear guard. The duo kept quiet for most of the search, with the occasional comment or two, and another twenty minutes passed before the vampire found a promising lead. She followed a small rocky trail that winded through a dense portion of the forest and that eventually led them to the mouth of a large cave. Finn strolled up to the entrance and shined his light through the cave to get a glimpse of its contents. The light only traveled so far before getting consumed by the darkness within.

Finn looked back at his companion, "Well, this is the first cave we've seen all night, might as well check it out."

The vampire simply nodded and began venturing into the cave before Finn stopped her. "Hold up, we should give Peebles an update before going in, just in case."

He took a few steps away and flipped the little switch on the device that opened the link. A rectangular screen displayed from the crystal and he was surprised to find it inside of PB's lab. He noticed the candy princess slouched over a table with her back to the second crystal device and she was vigorously tapping a foot, deep in thought. There were several beakers on the table filled with a pink substance that reminded him of the goop he had found several days ago when he had visited to provide her with the report on the troll attack. The room was dimly lit but Finn could still see stacks upon stacks of paper piled high next the beakers and an open laptop that had a window open with a picture of what looked like a twisted, multi-colored ladder. He opened his mouth to call out to her but held his tongue when she started to speak.

"Globbit, globbit, globbit…what am I missing? The sequences are perfect as are the tissue samples so why isn't it working? I should have had a viable-" Finn saw her straighten up when she finally noticed the pink glow of the crystal behind her and she turned around, her round glasses reflecting the device's light, making them look like large, pink orbs. She shuffled over to the screen and removed her glasses before staring at him, "Finn, how long have you been there?"

He could feel the intense scrutiny of her gaze, even through the device. "I, uh, barely called you, just now. I wanted to let you know that we've found a cave and we are about to check it out."

She held her stern look for another few seconds before letting out a small breath, "Excellent. If we're lucky enough, that'll be the cave Rachel visited and maybe you can find some clues as to who might have ordered the attack against my kingdom." Bubblegum reached off screen for something and produced a pen and paper as she began to jot down some numbers. "I wrote down the coordinates so we can extract you, should you find yourselves in danger. Make sure you contact me again after thoroughly searching the cave and please, be careful."

"You can count on us, PB."

"Good, PB out."

The screen closed and Marcy tapped him on the shoulder, "We ready?"

Finn nodded and took the lead as they slowly crept into the cave. As they walked in, the air became much colder and heavier with each additional step. After they passed the initial mouth of the cave, it drastically narrowed into a small path that could only fit one person at a time. As they squeezed through the tight corridor, they could hear faint clicking sounds up ahead. Finn slipped out of the confined space and stepped into a large open area that glistened as the wet walls reflected the crystal's pink light. He ventured further and admired the magnificent cave formations. Stalagmites seemed to burst from the ground with stalactites issuing their challenge of dominance from above. A crystal clear puddle sat in the middle of the room, providing an upside-down version of the cave in which it resided. Finn accidentally kicked a rock and sent it skittering into the puddle, but not before making a small racket on the way down. The cave instantly exploded into a flurry of movement as hundreds of bats swarmed the interior of the large room. The startled human jumped down as the colony flew past him and into the tight corridor that would lead them to safety outside. The piercing scream of a surprised vampire rang out from behind as he realized that Marcy was still making her way through the path.

_Oh man, she is going to **kill** me._

Just as he expected, the angry Vampire Queen stormed into the room with fire in her eyes, looking for the culprit. Her eyes settled on the figure laying flat on the floor and she dashed up to the adventurer. She picked him up by collar and lifted him into the air, staring daggers into the young man, "You really have no sense of danger, do you?"

Finn chuckled nervously while he waited for the angry swipe to the head, but it never came. Marcy just sighed and dropped him, Finn landing on his backside. "You're lucky you saved me from that tree earlier. I'll spare you this time." She scanned the room and pointed, "That looks like another opening, but **_I'll_** go first this time."

Finn dusted himself off and gave her a small smile, "Sure thing, milady."

"You're really gonna get it one of these days."

Marcy took the lead as they made their way deeper into the cave, going through the new opening. It wasn't as narrow as the first path so they were both able to pass through together, with Finn staying slightly behind. After a few minutes the path opened up into a small hub that split off into three more paths. The duo stepped into the middle of the room and inspected the separate passageways.

Finn walked up to one of the entrances, "How about you get the one on left and I get the one on the right? Then we can both get the one in the middle."

"Fine. If you hear a girlish scream, then its probably yours."

He watched Marceline float off down her corridor and grabbed his crystal as he began to make his way into his. The trip was relatively short and he soon stepped into a flat, circular area devoid of any normal cave formations, or anything else, for that matter. The only thing in the room was the suspicious loot chest sitting right in the middle. Finn cautiously stepped towards the chest, the tantalizing promise of loot only a few feet away. He stopped just shy of opening it, reminding himself that it could easily grow a mouth and take his arm off if he wasn't careful. He checked every nook and cranny, not that there were many, before deciding that there were most likely no hidden traps waiting to be sprung the minute he opened the chest. After checking the chest itself, he drew his sword and used it to raise the lid and was happy to find it filled with gold and jewels. He kneeled down in front of the loot and searched for any items he could take home, feeling disappointed when he couldn't find anything. He was about to close the chest when a small glint caught his eye. Reaching for the strange object, he dug it out from among the gold and was amazed by what he found.

It was a pitch-black arm bracer that was even darker than the sheath he was wearing on his sword belt. He held it up for a better look, admiring its sleek, glossy finish. A small dome stuck out from the bracer and Finn curiously poked it, intrigued by its purpose. It felt dense and stiff, leading the human to believe that it was made of some type of metal, just like the bracer. Flipping the piece of armor over, he found a tiny hole that was directly beneath the dome that sat on top. He slipped it on his left arm and noticed that it was just the right length to cover his entire forearm with the dome sitting above his wrist. Happy with his find, he began searching the chest once again in case there was anymore hidden loot.

He was oblivious to the shifting creature that stalked up behind him, "What are you doing?"

Gold coins scattered everywhere as Finn knocked over the chest in an attempt to meet this unknown threat. He raised his arms in a defensive stance and was relieved to find that it was only Marcy and not some horrible, deformed cave dweller coming for his blood. "Thank Glob it was only you. You gave me a start!"

The vampire crossed her arms and gave him a glare, "Are you really digging through loot right now?" Finn just rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. She placed a hand on her face, shaking her head in disbelief, "And here I was thinking you were in trouble." The young human followed the annoyed woman as she floated out of the room, sighing with discontent.

"So did you find anything?" Finn asked.

"Nope, just another cave filled with big rocks. No surprise there."

They stopped in front of the only other route they had left. The pair looked at each other and nodded in unison, prepping themselves for the possible fight ahead. Finn cautiously stepped into the dark corridor, its jagged walls offering pain and discomfort should he bump against one. He approached a right turn and quietly peered around the corner, looking for anything lying in wait. Nothing but the droplets of water falling from the ceiling returned his gaze. He rounded the corner and proceeded on, glancing back to make sure his companion was still behind. He spotted the vampire and she quickly pointed a finger ahead, indicating that he should be paying closer attention to where he was going. Eventually he arrived at a left turn and was about to peek around the corner once again when something caught his eye. He wrapped both of his hands around the crystal, blocking the light, and as his eyes adjusted to the new darkness a faint purple glow reflected against the wall in front of him. Marcy also confirmed the faint glow with a nod and Finn quietly drew his sword as he continued walking.

A lone figure stood at the far end of the room as the duo entered. As they approached, the person turned around, revealing the source of the purple glow. They were wearing a weathered cloak that hid their entire body, all except for the outstretched arm that was holding a staff. Upon a closer look, Finn realized that the staff was the spinal column and skull of what had once been a horned creature. The length of the crafted object matched that of the wielder and that was when Finn noticed that the figure wasn't standing but actually floating in place. The atmosphere grew heavier as the tension tightened between the two sides.

Finn was the first one to speak, "Who are you?"

The human was caught off guard by the sweet, feminine voice that responded, "Ah, it seems it was foolish to have sent the former assassin. I should have gone with the flame conjurer instead."

"Hey! I asked you a question, dingus!"

"Well if it isn't Finn the Human," she gave him a small bow, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

The young hero wasn't expecting such politeness from someone who was radiating such foul energy. It only put him more on edge. "Um, hi."

"You may call me Iris."

The name rang a bell within Marceline and she whispered the name under her breath in an attempt to place its origin. The hood turned slightly to focus on the vampire, "Is that you Marceline? Its nice to see you again, my dear."

She ignored her and kept repeating her name, "Iris. Iris. Iris? Iris!" Red eyes glared up at the floating woman, "Its _**you**_!"

The woman hummed softly, "Yes darling, its me. Did you ever find a new home?"

"Yeah, no thanks to you, bitch."

She giggled, "You'll have to show me one day. Please don't take this the wrong way, but the last home you owned was horrendous."

"Don't speak to me like we're friends!" Marceline shouted venomously.

Iris' tone grew serious, "I wouldn't do such a thing, its merely a little chat to occupy myself before I kill you. I was quite bored of waiting for Rachel to return but now I see that she failed such a simple task."

Finn stood there, confused, as the two ladies bickered. He stepped forward, sword raised, "So you were the one who sent her? How about you come quietly then, I'm sure the princess has plenty of questions to ask you."

"In due time, handsome. The fair bubblegum princess will have her chance soon enough."

A cold lump formed in the hero's stomach, "What do you mean, 'soon enough'?"

"Oh, you're an impatient one, aren't you? Well, I _**could**_ tell you my master plan and all its intricacies, but that would be too cliché. I'd much rather leave you in the dark." A shrouded hand was lifted up to her mouth as she laughed to herself, "Get it? 'In the dark'? Because you're in a cave and I'm about to kill you so you're going to die 'in the dark'? Oh, I crack myself up!"

The sound of the demented lady's laughter was grating to Finn's ears.

_How is this funny? People **died** because of her._

"This isn't a damn joke!"

The outburst cut the woman's laughter short and she pointed the staff at the hero, "Very well, enough messing around. Its about time I started heading back anyways." The skull began to glow a bright purple as it charged, "Farewell, champion of Ooo."

A bolt of fiery magic flew towards Finn as he dived out of the way. It detonated where the human stood only seconds ago, leaving a smoldering crater in its wake. Finn held his sword to the side as he readied for the next strike, watching as the staff's skull charged once again. Iris pointed the weapon, unleashing a new bolt that veered off course as she was forced to dodge a heavy rock hurled by the Vampire Queen. The two partners locked eyes for a second and nodded, each understanding the other's job. Finn charged Iris as she blasted apart the incoming projectiles thrown by Marcy, flying up just as Finn lunged at her. He rolled behind a stalagmite and was tossed across the room as it erupted into purple flames. Marceline saw the explosion and flew towards the dazed human, snatching him from the jaws of death as fire engulfed his previous position. She zipped through the air as she dodged bolt after bolt of dark energy, using the dust kicked up into the air to her advantage. They took shelter behind a large rock as the pair caught their breath.

Finn risked a peek and spotted the purplish glow that radiated from Iris' body through the dense haze. He crouched near the vampire and whispered, "We can use the dust to our advantage. If I can distract her in the front then you might have a chance to sneak up behind her and catch her off guard."

"Finn, she's a lot tougher than she looks. I'm pretty sure she won't fall for that."

"Sometimes the best strategy is the most simple one. At least that's what Colonel Candy Corn once told me."

Marcy braced herself against the rock, "Okay, on your go."

Just as the two emerged from their positions, a strong gust of wind blew all the dust within the cave out through the corridor behind them. They were now clearly visible and immediately scattered as a bolt flew in between them. Finn growled and ran at the caster, blood hot and coursing with adrenaline. He juked left and then right, baiting a shot that left Iris wide open. The silver blade sliced through the empty space left by the caster as she took to the air, cackling all the while.

"Putting up a fight, are we?" Iris readied another fiery blast to slay the now exposed hero but was cut short as Marceline slammed into her with all her might.

The cave wall caught them in a crushing sandwich and Iris tumbled to the floor, groaning in pain. The merciless vampire grabbed her by the legs and lifted her into the air, spinning in place before launching her into a massive stalagmite. Iris crashed through the cave formation and kept going for several feet before skidding to a halt. Using the staff to lift herself up, she spotted the human sprinting towards her, sword at the ready.

Finn raised his sword and brought it down in a powerful strike that was deflected by the enemy's staff. He quickly pivoted and slashed horizontally, managing to cut her other arm as Iris leaned back. Her head rocked violently as Finn followed up with a strong left hook, connecting with the woman's nose. The sound of the sickening impact was eclipsed by the howl as she reeled back in pain. As she lifted her wounded arm, red runes glowed across her exposed skin. The sight stunned Finn and it bought the caster the precious seconds needed to summon a powerful gust of wind that lifted the shocked hero off his feet and into a nearby rock. As she cast forth the gust, she charged the staff in her other hand and fired a superheated stream of purple flames towards the incoming vampire, forcing her to dodge and stop her attack. Wicked flames licked Marceline as she weaved between the stalactites that hung from the ceiling. Finn used the distraction to stagger behind a rock as he clutched his side, each breath as painful as it was labored.

Iris growled as she pumped more fire in Marcy's direction, "You little brats are really starting to piss me off!" The runes on her arms began to grow brightly as she channeled more energy into her fiery stream, pushing the vampire to the opposite side of the cave.

Finn stared in disbelief, as his previous nightmare seemed to come to life.

_Those runes and all this fire; was the dream some kind of premonition? It can't be mere coincidence._

Finn shook his head to clear his thoughts as he reached for his sword. He stood and felt the pull of muscles in his mid-section as he slowly straightened up. Gritting his teeth, he grasped his sword and made his way around the rock to buy Marcy some time. However, as soon as he began his charge, he saw Iris gasp in pain and clutch her shoulder. She ducked and the sound of rocks smashing behind her echoed within the cave.

Marcy broke off the tip from another stalactite and hurled it at the wounded woman as she kept up the pressure. The sudden lack of flames caught her attention and she grinned when she realized that she had hit her mark.

Iris held her bleeding shoulder, the one that held the staff, and jumped back as Finn's sword barely missed her neck. The agile hero used the momentum of the missed swing to spin in place, allowing for another quick strike. Using her staff to catch the blade, she pooled magic into her other arm and placed her palm against the human's chest as she unleashed a concentrated burst of energy. The blow sent Finn stumbling back but he managed to stay upright, at least until the bony skull on Iris' staff connected with his chin. He was lifted a few inches off the ground by the brutal swing and he landed on his back, his sword sliding away as it was ripped from his grasp.

Iris glanced at the downed hero and then at the furious vampire that tore through the air between them as her mind processed the urgent situation.

_I can't keep this up much longer and I'm running low on juice. Plus, that damn vampire is still coming at me like a rabid dog. It's now or never._

Fighting through the pain in her shoulder, Iris lifted her staff and channeled a small portion of her remaining energy into a spell that bathed the cave in a blinding white flash of light. Marcy shrieked as her eyes were stabbed by the sudden illumination of the room and crashed into the ground as she rubbed her burning retinas. Finn was facing away from the flash and wasn't affected by the spell. However, he was having trouble getting his legs to respond and it took him several seconds before he stood up, rather shakily. Iris spotted the two recovering much quicker than anticipated and quickly made her escape through the corridor.

White spots flooded Marcy's vision as she struggled to readjust to the darkness of the cave and she caught a slight glimpse of the caster's cloak as she made her speedy getaway. The angry Vampire Queen dashed over to check on Finn and almost crashed into him as he jogged towards the entrance. "Finn, are you okay?"

Finn gave her a pained smile, "Yeah I'm still alive. We have to follow her before she escapes!"

Marcy noticed the way he was slightly slouched over and grew concerned, "You don't-"

"This isn't the time! Just go, I'll be right behind you!"

She doubted his ability to keep up in his current condition but she flew off after the vile woman.

_I'll make you pay for hurting him!_

Flying through the maze of corridors took longer than expected, and eventually Marceline found herself at the narrow path that led to the cave entrance. Knowing full well that she was wide open to a blast of fiery magic in such cramped spaces, she cloaked herself and proceeded cautiously. Her heart raged within her chest as she made her way farther into the passageway, all the while expecting a face-melting bolt to come shooting out from the darkness ahead. The only thing she found, however, were the first rays of morning sunlight that crept into the mouth of the cave. It was then that she spotted Iris flying just outside of the entrance, a fully charged staff pointing towards the roof of the cave.

Marcy gasped as the ceiling above her ignited in a purple explosion, forcing her back into the narrow path. The harsh sound of shifting rock above her sent the woman into overdrive as she rushed back the way she came, ignoring the scrapes and bruises inflicted from running through the tight path. Debris threatened to crush her if she made the fatal mistake of falling and with one final push she vaulted back into the large room just as the pathway collapsed behind her.

She fell onto a wide-eyed Finn and they rolled for several feet before coming to a stop. Finn groaned in pain as he held his ribs, coughing up the dust that filled his lungs. He took a few short breaths before attempting to move, and he was glad that he had landed on a pile of sand. He rolled over onto something particularly soft that pressed against his face and he grabbed it as he began to push himself off of the floor.

"Hey! Quit feeling up on my boob!"

Finn quickly retracted his hand and got off of Marceline, "Ah jeez, sorry!"

She let out an irritated huff, "You can at least buy me dinner first."

At the mention of dinner, the vampire felt a sharp stab in her stomach. It drew a small gasp from her that went unnoticed by the dazed human. Finn reached around in the dusty haze searching for his sword as Marcy quietly suffered next to him. Cold steel brushed his fingertips and he grasped his mighty weapon, comforted by its cool touch. Dusting his crystal off, he messed with the green button until the light once again emerged from within. Having taken some damage, the light was noticeably dimmer than before and only expanded a few feet around the human. He slowly stood after a few grunts and made his way toward the narrow path. It was completely blocked with debris and would probably take days for them to dig through. Shuffling over to the vampire, he kneeled down next to her and shined the light across her body as he checked for injuries.

The pain having subsided, she pushed the light away as she sat up, rubbing her head. "Well that sucked."

"That was Grade-A donkus." Finn gave her a worried look, "That path is toast."

Marceline stood up but fell back down as her head began to spin. She was lightheaded and her stomach felt as if it were twisting into itself over and over again. The slight burns on her arms and legs weren't making anything easier, either. Her skin began to crawl and she realized that these weren't symptoms from the injuries alone. There had been a few other times that she had felt this way, and it didn't turn out well for anyone around her.

_Shit. Please don't let it be what I think it is. Not now…_

Finn noticed her quick breathing and wrapped her up in his arms as she began to shiver uncontrollably. "M-Marcy, what's wrong?"

"Finn…this is bad, **_very_** bad."

"Yeah, I know we're pretty much trapped in here but its okay, I'm gonna call PB for help."

"No, that's not what I-," she was interrupted by a crackling noise as the display from the crystal tried to form itself.

It appeared for a few seconds but then dematerialized as soon as Bubblegum answered, "Hello? Finn? Why can't I see you?"

"Hey PB, I think the crystal took a hit. We're, uh, kinda in some trouble here."

Finn explained their situation as Bubblegum listened, asking a question every now and then. "Okay Finn, it shouldn't take me long to get there. I'm going to bring my Centidigger, the same one I used to dig you guys out of the underground sand colony. If I use the boost I can reach you guys in about thirty minutes, tops."

Finn blew out a sigh of relief, "Math, and here I thought we were in some deep Poo-biz for a second."

"I'll let you guys know when I'm a few minutes out so you can prepare yourselves. It'll be a little risky going in but once we get you inside everything will be fine. If there's nothing else to add I'm going to log out-"

"Wait." Marcy called out in a weak voice.

"What's wrong Marceline?" Bubblegum asked with concern.

"Bonnie, you might want to get here sooner than that. Remember Peter Village?"

The link went silent for a few moments before PB responded, "About how long?"

"Not long Bonnie, it's getting harder to resist every passing second. **_Hurry_**."

"Well then I have no time to lose."

The link went dead as the confused human stared at the vampire held in his arms. "What was that?"

Marcy looked away with fear in her eyes, but not for herself. "Finn, I'm going to lose it pretty soon."

"Like, are you going to start yelling at me for grabbing your, um, boob?"

She shook her pounding head, "No Finn, as in I'm going to go into a blood frenzy."

Finn's chest tightened, "Oh Glob…" He quickly checked his pockets for anything slightly red and found nothing. "Do you have anything red on you?"

"I would have eaten it already if I did."

Finn snapped his fingers when he got an idea, "You can drink the red, er, pink from your clothes. That worked last time, right?"

"Well I drank the pink from Bonnie's face." The thought of it stirred her stomach even more, increasing her desire to feed. She closed her eyes as she fought the urge, only barely succeeding. The Vampire Queen continued, her voice huskier, "It won't be enough. I've got some burns and the fight with Iris took a lot out of me. I need a large source of red soon and the only source around is…"

She trailed off as she glanced up at the human holding her. The natural scent of his body became more pronounced as Marceline's senses grew hypersensitive. He smelled tantalizing in a way that she couldn't explain and it was torture. She felt a small droplet fall on her shoulder and she looked up at him, noticing that the stitches on his cheek had come undone. The alluring scent of the blood that ran down his chin was intoxicating and she had to push herself away before she completely lost it, retreating to the far side of the room.

Finn fell back in surprise and was reluctant to get any closer, in case she lashed out again. "Marcy!" His heart began to race as the severity of the situation finally dawned on him.

_What can we do? There's nothing for her to eat here. I hope that Cenitdigger can fly…_

The nervous hero turned at the sound of something shuffling in the darkness, his hand clamping around the hilt of his sword. A raspy voice called out to him, "Finn, you have to get out of here. Go to one of the other sections and hide. The pink from the clothes will only buy me a few extra minutes but I-I can't hold on much longer. Finn, I'm **_so_** sorry."

As much as the last part of her remark shook him, he felt guilty for leaving a close friend in need. "We can figure something out."

"Leave! Now!"

Finn bit his lip and ran into the darkness of the cave as he searched for a room to hide in. He sprinted as fast as his crystal light would let him and ran into the room Marceline had checked out since she had mentioned it being filled with big rocks. Searching hastily, he found a hole to hide in, between two large rocks, and waited. Every passing minute was a lifetime. Every creak and droplet of water was as loud as a bomb going off. He tried to calm his rampaging heart in fear that its loud beating would give away his position as it rang against his eardrums.

_How long has it been? Now I feel like a total wad for tossing the watch LSP gave me for my birthday._

Finn had been scared before, but there was something terrifying about dying at the hands of a close friend that he had known for years. The young adventurer was no fool; he knew that eventually his dangerous lifestyle would be the death of him. However, he always believed that it would be at the hands of a worthy adversary or while protecting someone he loved and cared about, not trapped in a cave with a friend who was rapidly losing control of herself. Pink light reflected off of the metal of his sword and he wrapped a hand around the crystal, afraid that it would be a beacon to the feral vampire.

_C'mon PB, c'mon…_

A strangled breath caught in his throat when he heard a soft rustling sound in the distance. He froze in place, his ears on high alert. There was a scraping noise somewhere within the room but to the anxious human it might as well have been on top of him. Eternities masked as seconds ticked away as Finn braced himself for an attack. Loud sniffs could be heard in different areas and then it suddenly went silent. The hairs on the back of Finn's neck shot straight up, as Marceline sniffed the air only a few feet away. A low growl was the only sign he needed to realize that his cover was blown. He patted the floor until his hand grasped a small pebble and he quietly tossed it across the cave. The vampire chased down the source of the sound, giving Finn the chance he needed to escape. Unfortunately, he had to navigate without a light as he was essentially walking around in the dark. He inevitably kicked a rock that alerted the vampire to his presence and the human tore off into the passageway.

The crystal bounced along his chest as it cast long shadows across the walls. Finn could hear claws scratching against the rocky surface of the cave as the rabid hunter chased him down. He knew that if PB didn't show up soon then things were not going to go well for the human.

_She'll get here in time. I know it!_

Finn rounded a corner and stumbled into the room with the collapsed path.

_Yeah, she'll get here in time to find my shriveled up body._

"Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope."

He ran to the far side of the cave and turned around to face the darkness. A few seconds passed without a sign of the vampire, but she suddenly appeared in a flash as she flew towards him. Time stopped. It was no longer Marceline that he was looking at. Her face had transformed into that of a hideous fanged monster, eyes a deep crimson red. There was no tiny spark of recognition in them, nothing but a lust for blood, **_his_** blood. Long arms stretched to grasp him as sharp nails threatened to rip apart his soft human flesh. As the adrenaline spike ran its full course, time once again caught up with him.

He instinctively ducked as Marcy flew over him and into the wall behind him. Finn took off towards the other rooms again but tripped over a broken stalagmite before he could make it far. He scrambled to get up and turned around just in time to spot the Vampire Queen barreling down on him. He brought his left arm up and wedged it into her open mouth as she tackled him to the ground. She thrashed his limb around and chewed vigorously as she tried to pierce his flesh. Fortunately for him, he was still wearing the black metal arm bracer he had found in the loot chest. As she spit out his arm and reared back, Finn brought up his sword in an attempt to hold her off with its flat side but she lunged at him, stopping his movement. He was locked in place, his left hand holding her back by the neck as the tip of his sword sat just inches away from her chest. Saliva dribbled onto his face as the wild vampire clawed at his arms and chest. Finn screamed in agony as she swiped him across the already wounded cheek, her nails digging into the cut, causing it to gush blood. The searing pain made his eyes water and Marcy became an ugly haze for several seconds. The smell of blood filled the air and it drove her mad as she pushed closer, an inch at a time. Finn was losing strength, his arm starting to shake and burn, and he knew that his choices were limited. He looked down at the sword pinned between him and his friend as thoughts raced inside his head.

_If I don't do something I'm gonna die in this cave, but what can I do?_

A small voice answered.

_You know what to do. What you **have** to do._

_I-I can't!_

_That's not Marceline! She **will** kill you!_

_But she's still my friend, and I think I…I…_

_What about Jake? And Beemo? Bubblegum? They will be devastated!_

_Argh! Shut up!_

_This is life and death! Its either going to be you or her! All it'll take is a quick thrust to the heart and-_

Although he knew the possible outcome of what he was about to do, the righteous fire burning inside his heart would not be silenced. Finn yelled as he tossed his sword aside, using his free hand to swing a punch, connecting with her eye. She howled in pain and he swung again, this time hitting her under the jaw. However, as he went for the third hit, she caught his fist and pinned it to the floor, just as his other arm finally collapsed. Finn screamed as she sank her fangs into his neck, lapping up the sweet nectar that spilled from the punctures with her forked tongue. He struggled against the vampire but she was already beginning to pump him full of the numbing secretion used by vampires for thousands of years to keep their prey still. The human could feel her wet tongue as it slapped across his neck. She bit down harder, drawing more blood, and he grunted in pain.

As his body began to succumb to the narcotic flowing through her fangs, the desperate human gave one, final push. He tucked his knees in and settled his feet underneath her chest, using his fleeting strength to kick her off. The surprised vampire hissed as she landed with a loud thud, several feet away. The hero got up as fast as he could and began to shakily back away, his eyes never leaving the vampire. She was crouched and hissed once again, ready to pounce. Broken stalactites began to fall from the ceiling as the cave began to shake violently, causing Finn to lose his footing. He fell on his behind and stared in amazement as a massive drill came crashing into the cave, coming to a stop between the two. The room was immediately filled with a cloud of white gas that began to make him drowsy. Falling back down, the last image his brain was able to process were the two yellow hands that stretched out to meet him. As the darkness enveloped him, he had one last thought.

_I hope Mar-Mar is okay._

**A/N**

**Man, this was one crazy chapter to write! I really hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Let me know what you guys think about the action scenes. Are they easy to follow or do you get lost halfway? Are they exciting and stimulating? Drop it down in a review! As always, thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**

**Here's chapter 8! Just a heads up, this chapter is going to be a little different from the rest, but hopefully it shouldn't be too distracting. Anyways, enjoy!**

Fire.

Fire coursed through his veins. Fire engulfed his whole body. Fire was all that he was and all he could see. The purple flames that consumed him, consumed his world. He stood in a field of fire as far as the eye could see. Every step taken was a step deeper into the fiery abyss. Every exhale came out as volatile as a dragon's flaming roar. Finn didn't know what he was doing here. He didn't know why his body was in excruciating pain. The human was alone in this eternal pit of flames as he wandered endlessly. Haunting voices called down from the skies as the young hero tried to distinguish them from the crackling of the inferno surrounding him.

"Okay, I got him…w-watch out!"

"Oh jeez, she's coming! The gas hasn't put her to sleep yet!"

Finn kept pushing forward, concentrating all of his will into every step as his body guided him towards an unknown destination.

"I can't hold her back much longer! Just dose her already!"

"Well get ready to bug out as soon as I do because this cave is coming down!"

The hero couldn't recall what he had been doing earlier. The only thing that came to mind was a cold and dark space that was certainly better than his current surroundings.

"Oh Glob, oh Glob. Are you sure this thing can make it?"

"Jake, just trust me. Did you strap her to the seat?"

"She isn't going anywhere, princess. At least I hope not."

Finn tried to wake himself from the horrible nightmare but something kept him sluggish and unable to properly collect his thoughts. He stared ahead as the purple flames began to part down the middle, revealing a familiar color.

"Bubblegum, I can't stop the bleeding! W-What do I do?"

"Here, take the wheel and just follow the GPS, it'll lead you to the kingdom. I'll tend to his wounds and check on Marceline as well."

Orange fire spread around his feet and he was surprised when it didn't burn him. It was soothing compared the vicious, purple flames from earlier, and they felt oddly familiar. He reached down and felt its warm embrace, and was shocked to see his arms covered in the same runic symbols from before. He clawed at his arms as he tried to rip them out of his skin, but to no avail. Intense heat once again scorched his skin as new red flames licked his body, drowning out the comforting orange fire. They threatened to push him back into the purple ocean that blazed behind him, and that was when a bright red light caught his eye.

"Okay, I'll take Finn to-"

"No, **_I'll_** take him to the infirmary. Dr. Princess is already waiting in the ICU and I need you to stay with Marcy. Follow the guards to the room they prepared and make sure she stays put. The last thing I need is a crazed vampire terrorizing my citizens."

"But-"

"Dang it Jake, just do it! Finn will get the best treatment my kingdom can offer so please, just let me handle it."

The red light turned out to be a massive fireball soaring through the sky. Its long tail dragged behind as it flew towards the helpless hero. He could only watch the ominous object as it flew in his direction, unable to move as his legs held him in place. It landed in a huge explosion, obliterating everything in its wake. Finn was flung into the air, falling slowly back down into an endless pit. The tunnel of flames drew on forever as darkness claimed him, relieving him from the torture of the dream.

Finn woke up drenched in sweat. His chest heaved as he took in deep breaths, ignoring the pain in his side. White light filled his vision as he scanned the room he was in, making sure he wasn't simply transported from one nightmare into another. Medical equipment buzzed and beeped around him and he noticed several drips connected to his right arm that kept him hydrated. He raised his right arm and brushed his hand against the fresh stitches on his cheek, wincing at the tender wound. A warm lump was pressed across his feet, and he glanced down to see his brother asleep at the end of the bed, curled up into a ball. The dog quietly snored as he watched over his best friend, and he was woken up as Finn slowly straightened up.

Jake's eyes flew open and he immediately stretched over to his brother's side, "Finn! Oh thank Grod you're okay."

The human gave him a smile, "Good to see you too, brother."

Jake gave him a warm hug, "You really had me worried, bud."

Finn looked around, eyes spotting the window at the end of the room. The sun's rays were pouring in. "How long have I been out?"

"A few hours, I'm surprised you even woke up so soon. Actually, it has me a little worried." He reached over and pressed a button on the side of Finn's bed. "I'm gonna get Dr. Princess to check on you."

Finn began sitting up, "Nah man, I feel-" he winced as he clutched his side. "Okay, I guess I am a little banged up."

Jake pushed him back into bed, "Dude, just take it easy. Its not like you have to be anywhere right now."

Laying back into bed, the human looked at the empty beds around him and quickly remembered that he wasn't the only one trapped in the cave. "Hey, where is-"

The large doors of the infirmary swung open as Dr. Princess and Nurse Poundcake strolled inside. Clipboard in hand, Nurse Poundcake began to jot down the readings from the machines as Dr. Princess walked up to Finn. "How are you feeling, Finn? Any pains or symptoms I should know about?"

"Well, besides the pain around my ribs and the cut on my cheek, I'm fine. Although I do feel a bit lightheaded."

Dr. Princess nodded, "That's to be expected. The blood loss combined with the vampire's numbing agent should make you feel that way. We're flushing it out of your system as we speak so you should be fine by tonight." She grabbed the small clipboard hanging from his bed as she checked to see what medication he was on. "We will have to keep you here for an extra day or two until your vitals fully stabilize. I'll inform Princess Bubblegum of your current condition and I urge you to get some rest, you're going to need it if you want to make a quick recovery. I can provide some sleep medication, if needed."

Finn could already feel his eyelids growing heavier, "No, that's okay. I think I might pass out pretty soon, actually."

"Very well, please ring me should any complications arise." She motioned for Nurse Poundcake and gave Finn a quick smile before the duo walked out.

Jake gazed at his brother, wondering what had happened in that cave. He was covered in scratches and the cut on his cheek looked worse than before. Not to mention the gauze that was wrapped around his neck, hiding the deep puncture wounds inflicted by a certain vampire. The dog had no idea what had happened in there and he didn't want to go pointing fingers, but he wasn't exactly happy with the Vampire Queen. Until he heard the full story, he was going to make sure she stayed far away from him.

_He was a bloody mess when I scooped him up. If we had gotten there just a few minutes later…_

Jake had almost lost his brother, and he wasn't about to leave anytime soon, "Alright bro, go back to sleep. Doctor's orders."

"Okay but can you open the window, it's kinda warm in here."

"Sure thing."

Finn fluffed his pillow and drew the covers over his head as he prepared to go back to sleep. As he closed his eyes, something began to nag him in his thoughts, as if he was forgetting something, but the soft bed quickly claimed him.

Jake waited until his brother's breathing steadied, indicating he had fallen asleep. He was curious as to why Finn sometimes slept with the covers drawn past his head but he just chalked it up to one of those weird things his brother does. Walking over to the window, he opened it and peered out into the Candy Kingdom. The sun was rising well above the castle walls by now. Giant bubbles floated into the sky, created by the Gumball Guardians as they sat peacefully atop the castle walls. The streets were barely beginning to fill with people as the hour of lunch slowly neared. Shopkeepers and restaurants opened their doors as they prepared for the busiest part of their day. Jake leaned out further and spotted Goliad and Stormo, locked in their eternal psychic battle. They hadn't moved an inch in almost four years, making Jake wonder how they survived this long without nourishment.

_PB probably created them to be that way. That woman messes with things she shouldn't. Its gonna come back to bite her one day, and Finn and I are going to have to clean up the mess, like usual._

He sighed and walked back over to Finn's bed, settling back across his younger brother's feet. His eyes barely shut before the large infirmary doors opened again, this time revealing the candy princess, clothed in a long sleeve shirt and jeans, all pink of course. Bubblegum tiptoed into the room and gave Jake a curious look when she noticed the covers drawn up across Finn. The dog just shrugged. She slowly drew the covers back as she checked on the sleeping human, listening for his quiet breaths. He had a peaceful look on his face, compared to the pained look he had as they made their way back from the cave. PB took a seat next to the bed and watched him for several minutes, while Jake studied her out of the corner of his eye. She placed a hand on Finn's and his brother noticed the sad look in her eyes. He could never quite place the princess' intentions with Finn, and he knew that his brother still had some feelings for her, no matter how much he denied it. The young human just seemed to have the worst of luck when it came to women. The ones he cared about were either too burdened with responsibility or they could destroy the world with a simple kiss. He just hoped that one day his brother would be happy. Maybe he would find the princess of his dreams further down the road.

_Well, the heart wants what the heart wants._

Bubblegum rose up from her seat and gave Jake a small nod before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind her. Her sudden exit left the dog confused but he simply decided not to think about it. Jake closed his eyes and waited for his turn at a peaceful slumber, hoping to dream of his woman and kids.

They slept for most of the day, with Finn only waking once around evening. The soft vibrations at his feet stirred him from his deep sleep. He was still half-asleep, when he noticed Jake growling at the window across the room; only it wasn't one of his regular growls. This was a full-blown snarl, the kind that accompanied some perceived threat. The hairs on his back were raised and his little tail was held up stiffly behind him. After a few moments, he relaxed and blew out a puff of air before settling back down at the foot of the bed, eyes carefully watching the threatening window.

Finn just figured that his brother was imagining things. He fell back asleep and slept for a few hours before waking up again. As his eyes opened, he noticed that Jake wasn't next to him anymore. He looked around the now dim room and spotted a lone guard who was quietly snoring across the room. Bright moonlight poured in from the open window and Finn stared at the shining stars as he began to sit up. Though his ribs still ached, they no longer hurt with every small move. A candle sat upon the table to his right, and pinned underneath was a letter. He reached over and plucked it out from under the candle and read it.

_Hey bro, I just went out to grab some things from the tree house and to bring Beemo, too. I'm pretty sure the little guy is worried. I'll be back soon, probably before you even get a chance to read this letter. Stay put and don't go anywhere, I don't want you running off on some other crazy adventure without me._

Finn smiled and folded the piece of paper before placing it back on the table. Carefully removing the drips from his right arm, he shuffled over to the window and peeked outside, admiring the lights of the kingdom. The glittering city was even more astounding from this high up in the palace. A cool breeze blew into the window, brushing up against his warm body and ruffling his hair. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the pleasant sensation, and he caught a faint, yet familiar sound drifting down from somewhere above. The light tunes of a string instrument floated into his ears, drawing Finn to investigate its source. He quietly slipped past the sleeping guard and out the infirmary doors, making his way up the stairs that lead him to the upper levels. It was slow going, but eventually he made it out to the highest balcony he could reach, and yet the sound still lingered above. He stepped out into the balcony and searched for a way up, spotting a small ladder that was bolted into the wall. As he climbed, the cool wind blew his medical gown left and right, and that was when he noticed that he was nude underneath. The exposed human slipped an arm between the rungs and tied up the small straps on each side of the gown that kept it from flapping wide open, before proceeding.

Reaching the top, the human cautiously crawled across the roof of the palace, stopping just short of the large tree that sat upon it. A feminine voice sang from within the mighty branches, accompanied by the low tune of a bass, lyrics full of sorrow.

_Oh lonesome tree,_

_You cradle me with your branches._

_But do you know my life?_

_It's like a pack of wet matches._

_Never able to ignite,_

_Despite the cold of the world._

_Trapped in my head,_

_As my nightmares unfurl._

_Then I finally get a small ray of hope._

_Only to watch as it was stolen by a golden crown._

_Abandoned once again in this land of dread._

_Face locked in place with a permanent frown._

_Walking through the streets with half a sweater,_

_Really just wishing that the day would get better._

_Lost to time were memories,_

_Of decent friends and enemies._

_Tossed around like a feather in the wind,_

_At the mercy of the universe's every whim._

_If I had ten cents for every dime,_

_I'd go and buy myself a little slice of time._

_Cursed to hurt those I may one day love,_

_Bound to the earth like a poor, clipped dove._

The singing ended, replaced by the soft rustling of leaves. Finn could hear sniffling drifting down from the tree. Bare feet climbed up to the trunk as he looked for his troubled friend. There was a clearing in the branches that allowed a small amount of moonlight to trickle through, and that's where he found Marceline. She was sitting in the nook of a large branch, axe bass held across her body as she gazed up at the bright moon. Dressed in a red tank top and torn, black jeans, she didn't notice the human as he quietly climbed up the tree and settled down in a branch across from her. Finn waited until he caught his breath, since climbing a tree was no easy task in his condition, while deciding on what to say. Although he could only see the right side of her face, he knew she had been crying by the small trail of drying tears that ran down her smooth cheek. The young human didn't know what to do in this situation, and began to feel like maybe he was intruding on her personal space.

_This was probably a bad idea. I don't even know what to say. I should probably leave before she catches me and calls me a creeper._

Finn reached over to a small branch as he shuffled over to make his way down, and froze when it snapped. He glanced over his shoulder to see if she noticed and caught the stare of the alerted vampire. Stunning red eyes were locked onto the human as he sheepishly stared back, not quite sure of how she would react. The look on her face suggested that she was surprised, but not at all mad at his presence. She looked away as her hand wiped away any trace of the tears she had shed, and turned her attention to the kingdom below.

"H-Hey," she whispered.

Finn settled back into the branch and joined her in appreciating the view. "Hi."

He could hear her audibly swallow as they sat in silence. A long minute passed before she responded. "Finn," she took a deep breath, "Finn, I'm sorry. I-I almost…" she paused as her throat threatened to close up.

"Yeah…but you didn't."

Marcy shook her head, "I don't usually remember much when I go into a blood frenzy, but I remember a few things from last night." She gazed at the hero, moonlight illuminating her face, "I know you could have stopped me, and I honestly don't know why you didn't. I can't tell if you're an idiot or not."

Finn just smiled, "I ask myself the same thing sometimes. Well…the idiot part, at least. When I held the blade to your chest, I just couldn't force myself to do it. I knew that I was probably going to die if I stalled for too long, but I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I killed you, so I took a chance. Glad it paid off."

The vampire just stared in disbelief, not able to understand why he was willing to put his life at risk when he could have ended the fight.

_You really **are** a fool. So why does it feel like my insides turn to mush whenever I think about you?_

"Its okay Marcy, I forgive you. Water under the bridge, that's all it is now."

A single tear ran down her pale skin, "But why? Why is it so easy for you to forgive me?"

Finn focused on the gauze wrapped around his neck, feeling its tight embrace, "Because I know you didn't mean for it to happen. And because you're my friend."

"I could've killed you, I _**would've**_ killed you if Bonnie and Jake hadn't shown up. "

"We got out of it alive, that's all that matters."

Marceline was having trouble reading him. She couldn't tell if he was simply saying those things for her sake or if he really meant it.

_Why isn't he mad or angry with me? I think I could handle him yelling at me more than this._

She let out a small breath, "I don't know how you can be so calm about it. I would have been-"

"Marceline, stop." Finn gave her a stern look, "I don't want this hanging between us, okay? And to be honest, I'm still a bit shaken up from what happened," he held up a trembling hand, "but I don't have any hard feelings toward you."

Marcy quirked an eyebrow, "Between us?"

Finn's cheeks warmed, "Yeah, well you know what I mean."

She fought back the small smile that tried to form on her lips, "I'm not sure if I do."

The young man looked down at his gown attentively, "Can I ask you something?"

She wasn't expecting a question and her chest stirred a bit, "Sure."

He paused, as if debating on whether or not to ask, "What did that kiss mean last night?"

Marcy had been thinking the same thing ever since it happened, but she wasn't quite sure herself. "It means whatever it means."

Finn looked puzzled, "Huh?"

The Vampire Queen looked down at something particularly interesting below, "You heard me."

The confused human sighed, "Why do you always have to act so mysterious?"

She gave him a wink, "Its part of my charm, weenie."

Finn softly chuckled, "I guess it is. How, uh, how are you feeling?"

Marcy looked down at her fully healed arms and legs, thanks to her regenerative powers. "I'm good. Once I got some red into my system, my body was able to quickly recover from the burns and stuff." She rubbed her chin, "My jaw kinda hurts, though."

The hero grinned as he blew on the knuckles of his right hand and rubbed them against his chest, "That was courtesy of my famous right-hook."

"Ah, well that explains why I remember getting slapped by a little girl."

"Pshh."

Marceline started to feel a little better, no longer torturing herself over what she had done. Although she still felt bad about what had happened, she was glad to know that their friendship hadn't been destroyed by the horrible event. Grateful eyes peered up at the human, "Thanks, Finn. Thanks for not wanting to kill me or anything. I was feeling pretty rotten."

A bright smile lit up his face, "Of course, Marcy. You can make me dinner someday to make up for it, yeah?"

She rolled her eyes, "Alright but I'm not the best cook." His smile was contagious and threatened to spread to her face as well, but she held it back, still feeling like she didn't deserve to be smiling tonight.

"You mean you've been alive for over a thousand years and you never learned how?"

"Well what's the point when I only have to suck the red out of things?"

He started laughing, "Oh, Mar-Mar."

The vampire just grumbled and picked at the bass in her lap. Finn quieted down and listened to the soft music, truly glad that they were both okay. After a few relaxing minutes, she spoke, "I tried to visit you while you were asleep, but Jake wouldn't let me in. He kept growling whenever I got close, figured that he's probably mad at me for what happened. Can't say I blame him."

"He'll get over it. He tends to get kinda paranoid when stuff like this happens. It's not the first time I've almost kicked the bucket. He just needs a little time and we'll be back to our usual adventures."

"Well that's good to hear, I guess."

"Yep." Finn remembered that his brother had left and would probably have a heart attack if he found his bed empty when he got back. "Speaking of Jake, I should probably start heading back. He went to pick up Beemo a while back and I'd much rather not get lectured for walking around in the middle of the night."

He started to slowly climb down the branches, but his ribs began to ache, making him take a few sharp breaths. The Vampire Queen noticed and slung the axe bass over her back as she floated over to the human. She pulled him from the branches and carried him down to the balcony below, Finn giving her a grateful smile as she set him down. He began walking towards the door leading back downstairs, when he heard the vampire snicker behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed that she had a hand clamped over her mouth, stifling a laugh.

A blush ran across her cheeks as her chest trembled, "Finn, uh, you know the back part of your gown is still open, right?"

"What?" He craned his neck and saw what she was staring at, his white butt.

Marceline struggled to control herself as she watched his face turn a light shade of pink. She expected him to turn and hastily back out through the door, but she was wrong. He began to shake his butt, imitating the dance she had seen before when she visited his memories, long ago. She burst into a fit of giggles, holding her sides, as she laughed for almost a minute straight, tears rolling down her eyes. Finn watched as she slowly fell to the floor and landed on her side, still laughing away. A big grin spread across his face as he watched his work in action.

_There's that smile I've been looking for, Mar-Mar._

She sat up and wiped her cheeks, the occasional giggle slipping past her lips. All that laughing released endorphins into her system, giving her a pleasant sensation throughout her body. The vampire noticed the happy human and felt the sudden urge to fly up and hug him, which she did. Finn almost fell back as her weight pressed onto him and was a little thrown off by the tight embrace. He stood there for a couple seconds before wrapping his arms around her. As quickly as it happened, she broke it off and began to head downstairs, turning before she got out of sight, "Race you to your room."

She flew downstairs before he could answer, her mind full of shifting thoughts. Earlier, she had been shedding tears of sorrow and regret and now she was wiping away tears from laughing so much. She wondered why this curious mortal was able to make her feel such a range of emotions, when she was so used to hiding all but a select few. The thousand-year-old woman knew what these feelings were slowly developing into, though she was wary as certain previous relationships still left a sour taste in her mouth.

_You're really trying for my heart, aren't you? Even if you don't know it yet…_

The doors leading into the infirmary slid open as she floated through and she found a worried Jake standing next to a confused Bubblegum. Jake whirled around at the sound behind them, "Finn is that…oh, its _**you**_." His eyebrows furrowed, "Where is he?"

"And 'hello' to you, too. Don't worry, he's on his way." She gave him a sly smile, "I was just giving him some 'personal' tips for Tier 15."

Jake's jaw dropped and Bubblegum just sighed and rolled her eyes. Finn came through the doors with perfect timing, "Well that's one way to work up a sweat. Next time can you try slowing down a bit? You were a little too fast for me." He noticed the look on his brother's face as Marcy laughed, mischievously, "Hey, Jake. What's up?"

"Did…did you two really do that?"

Finn looked around innocently, "Do what?"

PB prodded Jake's shoulder, "She's just jerking your chain, dummy."

Jake just huffed and walked over to his brother, "Come on dude, back to bed. All this worrying isn't good for my health, I have kids to think about."

The adventurous duo walked over to the bed and the candy princess followed, turning to eye the Vampire Queen, "You too, Marceline. I've got some questions to ask the both of you."

She gave her a low bow, "Yes, your majesty."

Bubblegum clicked her tongue and whispered something in German as she grabbed a chair to sit on. Finn settled back into bed and chugged a glass of orange juice that Jake handed him, letting out a satisfied burp. "Okay Peebles, what do you want to know?"

"Well, I want to know what you guys found in that cave."

Finn intertwined his fingers behind his head as he relaxed in bed, thinking about the events from last night. "We found a witch inside who called herself Iris. Turns out she was the one who ordered the hit on the party."

Bubblegum turned to Marceline, "But didn't you say that Rachel had talked to a 'he'?"

The vampire shrugged, "That's what the green dude said. Maybe he lied?"

"Or it could mean that she's working with someone else as well." The worried princess ran a hand through her gummy hair as her mind searched for anything pertaining to the witch's name. "I've never heard of Iris before."

"She's bad news, Bonnie."

PB gave her a surprised look, "You know her?"

"Well I wouldn't say that I 'know' her, she just happened to be part of a gang that I used to roll with way back. We never got along so we kept away from each other. She absorbs the souls out of her fallen victims and that's where she gets most of her strength. Of course, the idiot thought it would be a good idea to open a portal to the Nightosphere to feast upon the demon souls locked away, but my dad kicked her ass and threw her out. I honestly thought she was dead, not sure how she survived this long."

"Oh, well that's great. And here I thought I only had assassins and mercenaries to worry about." Bubblegum got up and began pacing next to the bed, "I'm gonna have to beef up security, big time. Finn," she looked at the human, remembering his condition, "uh, never mind. You just focus on getting some rest." Walking towards the door, she motioned for the Vampire Queen to follow.

Marcy let out a small breath and whispered to herself, "Here we go…" The vampire reluctantly followed, knowing what was probably coming next. As the doors closed behind them, Finn and Jake looked at each other. They could hear quiet arguing going on just outside of the door, lasting for several intense minutes.

"What do you think they're arguing about?" Jake asked.

Finn rubbed the gauze around his neck, "I'm not sure, but I think I have an idea."

Jake stretched up and sat on the edge of the bed, "So…you gonna tell me what else happened in that cave?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning why you were almost dead when I pulled you into the Centidigger and why Marcy tried to tear into us as soon as she saw us?"

"Well after we fought Iris, she escaped and trapped us in the cave. It was a rough battle and we were both pretty spent afterwards. That's when Marcy started to lose it, and before long she went into a blood frenzy. It's a good thing you guys showed up when you did."

"You mean she didn't go whack-job crazy because she wanted to?"

"No, man. She'd never try to hurt us on purpose."

Jake looked down for a solemn moment, "And here I was thinking that she finally lost it after all these years."

"She's solid, bro."

"Alright, if you say so. Hey check it out," Jake stretched a hand underneath the bed, "I brought you some stuff." He laid the hero's signature backpack on his brother's lap.

"Awesome." He began to search his bag and his eyes suddenly opened wide, "Jake! Did you grab my sword when you pulled us from the cave? Oh man, please tell me you did!"

His brother grinned as he plucked it from underneath the bed, "I gotcha, bro."

Finn reached over and blew a sigh of relief as he cradled the sword. "Don't worry, I won't let you go again."

"Yeesh, should I leave you two alone?"

Finn chuckled, "Dude, shut up." A small movement caught his eye and he noticed a black crow sitting in the windowsill, watching them intently. As he studied it, he noticed it had long ears, almost like rabbit ears, and it let out a caw as it quickly flew away. Finn stared at the window for another moment before Jake caught his attention again, placing another object close to him.

"Here, I even saved that black arm bracer you were wearing. Oh, and those scratches were already there when you had it, so don't go blaming me for anything."

Finn picked it up and inspected it, gazing at the long marks left by Marcy's fangs. "Yeah, I know."

"I brought Beemo but he was already asleep when I found him. We can play tomorrow."

Finn yawned, feeling drowsy, "That's cool, I think I'm going back to sleep, I'm tired."

"Sounds like a great idea, I think I'll join you." He stretched an arm over to the light switch across the room and flicked it, darkening the room. They both settled into bed and slept for the rest of the night.

Finn stayed in the infirmary for another two days, as per Dr. Princess' request, and was frequently visited by the Vampire Queen. Bubblegum only visited once per day, and when the human asked Peppermint Butler where she was all day, he stated that she spent it locked away in her lab, engrossed in her work. He spent most of the time playing videogames with Jake and Beemo, and sharpening his blade on the whetstone that Jake had been kind enough to bring, as well. He was discharged in the morning and the trio hopped up on Jake's back as he stretched them home. Finn reached back into his backpack and withdrew his phone, typing in a quick text that he sent to Marceline.

_Just got out and I'm on my way home. Thanks for hanging out with me while I was laid up._

He slipped the phone into his pocket, since he was now dressed in his usual attire, and was surprised when it vibrated shortly after. He flipped it open and read the message she had sent back.

_No problem, baby. Did they give you any good medication? Let me know if you got any strong painkillers, those are pretty fun._

The phone vibrated again.

_Also, if you're feeling up for it, I can make you dinner tonight. How's that sound?_

The screen clicked as he typed in a response.

_Sounds like a date, then. I love spaghetti with a lot of sauce, but you can leave out the garlic. I know that vampires and garlic don't mix._

She responded.

_That's just a myth, weenie. I won't burst into flames if I accidentally touch it. Besides, I'm just making enough for you._

He messaged back.

_Well its gonna be pretty awkward if I'm the only one stuffing my face. I'll bring you something, okay?_

His phone vibrated.

_Fine. Bring me something nice and I might put out._

Finn stared at his screen, confused, before responding.

_Put out what?_

The text came in a few moments later.

_Lol. Just get your white buns over here around 9._

He replied.

_Yes, mistress._

The phone vibrated one last time.

:)

Finn slipped the phone back into his pocket again, and looked down as Beemo tugged on his shorts, "What's with the big smile on your face, Finn?"

He relaxed his face and felt how stiff his cheeks were from smiling for so long, "Nothing, buddy. Just, uh, remembering an old joke."

Beemo's face lit up, "Oh, I love jokes! Please tell me the joke, Finn! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

The human scoured his mind for the first joke he could think of, "What did the snow golem say when he was introduced to the fire audience at the comedy club?"

Beemo looked up as he rubbed the top of his head, "I dunno."

"Its 'ice' to meet you all. Thanks for the 'warm' reception."

The little MO looked down in disappointment, "That was pretty lame, Finn."

The human chuckled, "Sorry." He patted his brother's side, "We almost home? I'm starving."

Jake's face slid across his body and stopped next to him, "Almost, dude. I'm just about ready for some bacon pancakes."

Finn gave him a thumbs up, "That sounds _**so**_ good right now."

Jake grinned and his face started to slide away again but Finn stopped him. "Hey Jake, what does 'put out' mean? Besides the obvious, of course."

"Hmm, I don't know. Never really heard anyone use it differently before."

"Oh, okay."

Their large tree house came into view after a few minutes and Finn let out a relaxed breath as he stepped through the front door. "Man it feels like ages since I've been back here."

Jake stretched upstairs, "I'll get breakfast going, you just take it easy on the couch."

"You got it." He watched with amusement as Beemo slowly climbed the ladder, seeming to take forever. He picked him up and placed him in his backpack, with the little robot complaining all the way up. He always got mad whenever they didn't let him do things on his own. Finn set him down and watched as he stormed off, grumbling to himself.

Hanging up his hat and backpack on the small rack next to him, he walked over to the comfy couch and carefully eased himself down. His ribs were still a bit sore but overall, he felt pretty good. It was a good thing the infirmary in the Candy Kingdom was so advanced. If he had been taken anywhere else then he might have taken longer to recover. Finn rested as he inhaled the delicious scents wafting in from the kitchen, his mouth watering at the thought of the crispy bacon wrapped in the buttery soft embrace of a pancake. He looked out the window as he watched the sun slowly rise as it climbed to take its place in the sky. A shadow flew across the window, catching Finn's attention. Squinting his eyes, he caught sight of the shadow as it passed by again and realized that it was the black bird he had seen, several days ago. It had the same long ears and Finn got up to peer out the window but by then it was gone.

"Finn! Foods ready!"

He snapped out of his trance and turned around to see Jake placing several plates on the table, stacked high with pancakes. The hungry teen nearly sprinted over to the table and sat down, eyeing the golden beauties before him. Jake held up a gallon of milk in one hand and a gallon of orange juice in the other, "Which do you want?"

Finn already had half a pancake loaded into his mouth and he quickly bolted it down, "Milk, please."

Jake produced a large glass and filled it to the brim with the white drink, settling down next to his voracious brother to join him in the fight against hunger. After tearing through ten pancakes each, the satisfied heroes wobbled over to sit on the couch, their fight successfully won.

Finn watched as his brother's eyes began to slowly droop, until he finally fell into a light snooze. He reached down and pulled his favorite comic from underneath the sofa, picking up from where he had left off. Halfway through the last page, he heard someone knocking on the door. Rising from his comfortable position, he began to shuffle over and stopped when he remembered all the crazy events that had unfolded several days ago. He pulled his sword from the backpack's sheath and proceeded to make his way downstairs. Peering through the small window built into the door, he felt his chest quiver at the sight. He lowered his sword and opened the door, a warm breeze gaining entrance to his home as he stared at the person standing just outside.

Phoebe gave him a warm smile, "Hello, Finn."

"Uh…" Finn snapped out of his trance, "H-Hey Phoebe."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, we just finished eating not that long ago. Do you wanna come in?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you. Can we do that inside?"

Jake's light snore drifted down from above, "Maybe its better if we don't." He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. The Queen of Flames was wearing her royal armor and her hair was up, as usual. He figured that she only had it down for the royal ball.

_And you looked beautiful that night, too._

He reached up and brushed his hand along his wounded cheek, letting the pain focus him before he his mind got carried away. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Golden eyes looked up at him, "My kingdom could use your help."

Finn sighed internally.

_Well, there's no rest for the hero of Ooo…_

**A/N**

**I wanted to say thanks for all of the great favorites/follows/reviews you guys left me and it is definitely an awesome feeling to know that you guys are enjoying it so far. I hope Marceline's little song was to your liking. I've never really written a song before, but I always enjoyed her singing in the show so I figured that I'd give it a shot. Although I do admit that its kinda hard to place a beat to some lyrics without some type of guidance so it might have turned out as more of a poem in the end. Anyways, we'll get to spend a little time with the Fiery Queen next chapter so please stay tuned! Thanks again!**


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